tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69400171496537755502011-07-08T02:17:46.255+01:00Essential sports comment from Britain's best new columnistHarry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.comBlogger931100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-67847492475175774632009-07-05T18:36:00.001+01:002009-07-05T18:37:39.224+01:00

It’s amazing how quick we can be sometimes to consign a sportsman to the realms of yesteryear.It seems the second someone is no longer showing their former prowess they are ranked as a has been who no longer has a great deal to offer.Lleyton Hewitt was seen by many as an old-stager in the twilight of his career before an impressive showing at Wimbledon reminded people he is still only 28.Andy

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-64388720853660627992009-06-28T18:11:00.001+01:002009-06-28T18:12:53.985+01:00

Following Saturday’s dead rubber in Johannesburg, the next time the Lions run out for a test match they will have gone 16 years without a series win.An epic test match in the Loftus Versfeld saw the tourists edged out by the indomitable Springboks and condemned them to a third straight series defeat.The losing streak has posed serious questions of the values and approach of modern Lions parties

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-65084309011316617262009-04-20T21:26:00.002+01:002009-04-20T21:27:49.304+01:00

Ian McGeechan names his Lions touring party tomorrow and, even before a name has been read out, there are concerns about the lack of creativity in the touring party.The likes of Gavin Henson, James Hook and Danny Cipriani – three of the most naturally talented and exciting rugby players hailing from these shores – are expected to miss out on the trip to South Africa for a variety of

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-24124075325793927942009-04-02T20:59:00.002+01:002009-04-02T21:02:05.871+01:00

The Fabio Capello England bandwagon kept on rolling at Wembley with a solid win over a competent Ukraine side.The Italian seems to have instilled a winning mentality into his side and even when Andriy Shevchenko equalised for the visitors, an England victory always looked like the only outcome.Although England received a reality check against Spain in Seville in February, the side has come a long

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-38620013933786957152009-03-22T18:22:00.002Z2009-03-22T18:24:15.985Z

This year’s Six Nations tournament ended on a high as two well-match teams locked horns in a brutal encounter in Cardiff last night.International sides from the northern hemisphere may lack the flair of their southern counterparts, but the sheer intensity can at times be absorbing.The Welsh and Irish teams both left nothing behind during a ferocious battle where every breakdown and every tackle

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-63276821593455168552009-03-16T18:23:00.001Z2009-03-16T18:25:13.920Z

For forty wonderful minutes yesterday English rugby hit the kind of heights that have been few and far between in recent years.On a glorious Spring afternoon at Twickenham Martin Johnson’s men produced arguably their best period of rugby since Johnson and his monobrow departed the international scene following England’s World Cup win in 2003.Yes, England were helped by a shambles of a French

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-88274724528637910982009-02-26T14:00:00.002Z2009-02-26T14:01:09.528Z

Rarely has the return to action of a sporting hero been celebrated with the gusto in which the golfing fraternity welcomed back the iconic Tiger Woods.Tiger and his reconstructed knee took to the tee for the first time in eight months at the Accenture World Match Play Championship in Marana.The last time we saw the Tiger on the prowl was when he won the US Open at Torrey Pines virtually on one

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-61984266309650692822009-02-18T21:10:00.002Z2009-02-18T21:11:13.303Z

Amongst the plethora of worthy films released in the run up to Oscar night was a Daniel Craig film called Defiance.The James Bond star played one of the three Jewish brothers who defied the Nazi regime by setting up their own community in a forest.In one of the more moving speeches of the film Craig’s character tries to calm the revengeful feelings amongst his people by suggesting that the best

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-53288577816045733492009-02-06T15:21:00.001Z2009-02-06T15:23:28.591Z

It is a strange paradox that some sporting champions act like champions while others are the champions they are because they act just like anybody else.The likes of Muhammed Ali, Maradona and George Best had an amazing charisma off the field that fuelled their sense of greatness and they carried it with them onto the pitch.Now and again you get a sporting hero who is so amazingly unassuming and

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-67484384621615620232009-02-06T15:20:00.001Z2009-02-06T15:21:49.603Z

I have an immense amount of respect for Arsene Wenger but I am worried that his protracted pursuit of Andrei Arshavin will see him become a victim of his own ideals.Now I’m a big fan of the Russian schemer and I’m not saying he won’t be a success at the Emirates Stadium, but - by spending the whole of the transfer window chasing Arshavin - Wenger has critically neglected other areas of his

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-73333832841488860342009-01-25T16:59:00.001Z2009-01-25T17:01:20.683Z

Sometimes football just refuses to follow the script.At Dean Court yesterday Bournemouth’s match against Wycombe Wanderers was supposed to be all about one man as club hero and record appearance holder Steve Fletcher returned to the club a season and a half after being let go.But it was Fletcher’s young strike partner Brett Pitman stole the show, with a delicious free-kick and a fine all-round

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-28782289386290172302009-01-18T13:49:00.002Z2009-01-18T13:50:44.448Z

The astronomical figures being reported during Manchester City’s pursuit of Brazilian playmaker Kaka suggest the concept of the priceless footballer is set to be severely tested.We have often heard managers claim a player is not for sale at any price, but never before have the player’s suitors been armed with the unlimited funds of an oil-rich emirate.If ever there was a player who falls into the

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-14891657468662341372009-01-11T19:04:00.002Z2009-01-11T19:05:16.218Z

During Sir Alex Ferguson’s 22-year managerial reign at Old Trafford he has claimed almost as many victims with his notorious mind games as he has won trophies.Ferguson simply revels as the pressure of a title race increases and loves nothing more than to see other bosses struggle to cope.This week it seems Rafael Benitez was the latest to have his feather’s ruffled by the Glaswegian but for all

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-46678108770407575722009-01-04T17:47:00.000Z2009-01-04T17:48:58.244Z

Steve Gerrard played like he couldn’t wait to get back on the football pitch as he turned out against Preston yesterday less than a week after spending the night in a police spell following his arrest on suspicion of assault.Just when everything in Liverpool’s season seemed to be going swimmingly and as the 5-1 win over Newcastle last weekend was still sinking in, Gerrard’s shock arrest after an

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-50675289658480695262009-01-04T17:44:00.003Z2009-01-04T17:49:30.893Z

CARETAKER boss Eddie Howe found just how cruel managerial life can be in his first game in charge.The 31-year-old, who was handed the reins at Bournemouth for a tough trip to Darlington yesterday after Jimmy Quinn’s New Year’s Eve sacking, saw the Quakers bag two late goals to nick the game 2-1.By all accounts Howe’s men had put in a brave performance and, having gone 1-0 up, deserved to come

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-80581194933523372052008-12-30T17:28:00.002Z2008-12-30T17:30:05.591Z

With next summer’s Ashes series on the horizon it would be easy to react to Australia’s series deciding defeat to South Africa by going on about the terminal decline of the Aussie team.As ever though, there are two sides to the story and before we get too cock-a-hoop (to use an Aussie term) about the woes of Ponting’s side, it would be worth taking a moment to consider the strength of their

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-65478587318157029732008-12-18T16:47:00.001Z2008-12-18T16:48:13.269Z

It was a case of once bitten, twice shy as the Blackburn Rovers board appointed a managerial successor to Paul Ince.They had gambled and lost on a bright young manager so they were always going to look for a safe pair of hands.And they don’t come much safer than Sam Allardyce, an experienced campaigner at Premiership level whose Bolton side was once the model for every club that strove for

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-87002713028084342332008-12-18T16:45:00.001Z2008-12-18T16:47:00.878Z

Unless a lot of people have got the wrong end of a very convincing stick, Lassana Diarra will be on the way to Real Madrid when the transfer window opens in January.It will be the fourth move of the 23-year-old’s brief career but more significantly, if the kind of transfer fees being suggested are accurate, it could be the first of several moves in the coming months to be influenced by what I am

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-68391843094533245592008-12-15T15:08:00.001Z2008-12-15T15:10:43.454Z

There can’t be many sports where you can dominate you opponent for three whole days and still end up losing a match.Kevin Pietersen’s England side found out just how cruel test cricket can be as they wilted in the face of a magnificent Indian run chase in Chennai.The Indians did not just reach the fourth highest fourth inning victory total in test match history, they eased there with time and

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-49707406181018903162008-12-15T15:06:00.002Z2008-12-15T15:08:51.680Z

Chris Hoy was crowned the BBC Sports Personality of the Year last night and is a thoroughly deserved winner.He would not have been my personal choice for the award, I would have plumped for Lewis Hamilton, but – like many of the shortlisted candidates – he has done more than enough to win the prize and would have blown the competition away if his achievements were in many previous years.As the

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-24629119026839928622008-12-09T15:09:00.002Z2008-12-09T15:10:02.918Z

Football sometimes produces moments that feel almost too good to be true.On Saturday Darren Anderton enjoyed one of those ‘Roy of the Rovers’ moments that left him a final reminder of just how dramatic the game can be.The former England international smashed home a last-gasp winner for Bournemouth in his last professional game before hanging up his boots.It was the kind of fairytale finish that

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-58501439496902229612008-12-05T18:05:00.001Z2008-12-05T18:07:40.811Z

I didn't know quite what to make of Darren Anderton's arrival at Bournemouth when he signed for the Dorset club a little over two years ago.At the time I was still reeling from the news of manager Sean O'Driscoll's defection to Doncaster and it was hard to tell exactly what the former England international's motivation was.It couldn't have been for the money, noone signs for us for a pay day, but

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-62174791060935997352008-12-03T16:57:00.002Z2008-12-03T17:00:38.335Z

Antonio Cassano has always had a special talent.That much was obvious from the moment he announced himself on the Serie A scene as a fresh-faced teenager in Wayne Rooney-esque fashion with a wonderful solo goal for Bari against Inter Milan, leaving Laurent Blanc and Christian Panucci for dead to secure a 2-1 win for his home town side.A €28-million move to Roma followed before his 19th birthday

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-23243144515128694842008-12-03T15:46:00.001Z2008-12-03T16:57:34.745Z

You don’t often believe pop stars or sportsmen who have performed in front of thousands of people when they claim doing a foxtrot on Strictly Come Dancing is ‘the scariest thing I’ve ever done’.We get it all the time and we are in the living room going: come on Matt Dawson, surely you don’t expect us to believe that you were more nervous than when you walked out ahead of the Rugby World Cup Final

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-48443030256891853592008-11-28T17:08:00.003Z2008-12-03T15:45:28.576Z

A lot can happen over the course of six months in rugby and many a reputation has been forged or ruined over the course of a Six Nations campaign.But as England go into their final Autumn international against New Zealand tomorrow some players thoughts might just be looking ahead to this summer’s Lions tour to South Africa.Judging by the side’s performances so far during this international series

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-71419086163576481352008-11-26T15:59:00.000Z2008-11-26T16:00:31.696Z

I'm not sure what Lawrie Sanchez has been doing since he was sacked as manager of Fulham last December but it would not surprise me to learn he has been spending time in the company of Sepp Blatter.My first sighting in months of the former Northern Ireland boss and Wimbledon cup star was on Sky Sports news at the weekend putting forward a hair-brained scheme worthy of the blundering FIFA

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-2895546469471017862008-11-20T15:07:00.001Z2008-11-20T15:08:57.191Z

England’s back-up players took the opportunity to shine last night against Germany but I can’t help think that, long term, the most significant action to take place on the pitch at the Olympic Stadium actually occurred 24 hours earlier.Theo Walcott’s slip on the turf in training on Tuesday evening resulted in a dislocated shoulder and, while he may well be fit for England’s next competitive game

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-9660604663174734222008-11-20T15:06:00.001Z2008-11-20T15:07:46.220Z

For years I have cringed at the painstaking commentary contributions from David Pleat as he has inexplicably retained his place as first choice co-commentator for ITV.His inability to pronounce a single foreign name correctly is bad enough but often his rambling analysis also produces drivel that I simply cannot believe came from a man who has held coaching positions at the top of the game.Pleat’

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-22419970226920061142008-11-18T11:39:00.002Z2008-11-18T11:42:34.621Z

Fabio Capello has surprised many by with his placid response to England’s raft of pull-outs ahead of tomorrow’s friendly against Germany.Perhaps he simply knew it was coming, you can dress up all you like the fact this game is against the ‘Old Enemy’ and there are ‘no friendlies between England and Germany’ (how long before ITV’s match coverage team pull that old cliché out?), this is still a

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-18400410545977599562008-11-18T11:38:00.001Z2008-11-18T11:39:27.255Z

Midway through November Bournemouth’s points tally still resembles an Alan Davies score from an episode of QI and last weekend our miserable season plunged new depths.With the team still on minus three points, they travelled up to Accrington Stanley and suffered a demoralising three-nil defeat, leaving us still 12 points from safety.Fortunately I was not one of those Cherries fans who made the

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-44257093680752236282008-11-16T18:33:00.002Z2008-11-16T18:34:20.823Z

The most depressing thing about England’s performance at Twickenham yesterday was just how familiar it seemed. I just felt we’d been there before.Once again the team had hung in there with a top tier side, momentarily matched them and even suggested they could take the game by the scruff of the neck, only to then run out of steam and let the opposition ease to victory.For the past five years this

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-3211000695847421392008-11-12T18:35:00.001Z2008-11-12T18:36:48.246Z

It can take years to build up a reputation as a great sporting captain, but it doesn't take long for that reputation to be trampled on.In the space of around an hour on the penultimate day of the final test between India and Australia Ricky Ponting found out just how quick the tables can turn.Ponting called on the wiles of part-time bowlers to speed up the overate in a crucial stage of the match,

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-68836637564819475372008-11-10T18:17:00.002Z2008-11-10T18:19:30.591Z

We are at that stage of the season where normally people start complaining about the state of football's top tier in this country.Perhaps its a general misery brought on by the dark evenings and foul weather, but I seem to recall a general sense of disillusionment at about this point during the past couple of seasons.I tend to start echoing the same old radio phone-in complaints about the

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-92152241181966600162008-11-03T19:37:00.002Z2008-11-03T19:38:24.387Z

As two fathers simultaneously celebrated their son’s coronation as Formula One world champion, for a brief moment it seemed we had the result perhaps both men deserved.When Luiz Antonio Massa and Anthony Hamilton saw their boys take the checked flag at Interlagos yesterday, each man thought he was witnessing his son claim the most prestigious prize in motor sport.Of course, it soon emerged that

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-4199852393403766262008-10-27T16:34:00.001Z2008-10-27T16:35:47.935Z

Harry Redknapp has always struck me as football’s answer to Derek Trotter.It’s not just the Cockney accent, and the cheeky-chappy, wheeler-dealer attitude.He is very much football’s version of the self-made man, he worked his way up from the lower leagues with Bournemouth, made an unfashionable West Ham fashionable again and then did the same with Portsmouth (if ever Pompey were fashionable

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-64446897412479176082008-10-22T18:57:00.001+01:002008-10-22T18:59:03.111+01:00

There is nothing quite so valuable in football as the gift of timing.Fabio Capello is being hailed as the saviour of English football, the man who has turned round our ailing team, but how much of that is down to sheer bloody luck?Steve McClaren may have had has failings but it can also be said, while he was blessed with talented players during his time at the England helm, certain factors went

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-210637330978810882008-10-20T17:54:00.001+01:002008-10-20T17:55:54.077+01:00

Whatever the final outcome of the current test between India and Australia in Mohali, it will be one that lives long in the memory of Indian cricket fans.India are well placed to win, with Australia five wickets down in the final innings and still requiring 375 for victory going into the final day, but don't expect the Aussies to simply accept defeat.Even if Sachin Tendulkar would want to focus

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-64144110534588425292008-10-13T19:54:00.001+01:002008-10-13T19:56:23.872+01:00

England fans did not exactly cover themselves in glory at Wembley on Saturday.Whether they were visibly absent from the corporate seats when the second half kicked off, childishly booing Ashley Cole after a moment of human error or embarrassingly fawning over David Beckham’s every touch, the home crowd were doing their best to suggest the ‘home of football’ is not all its cracked up to be.For a

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-5693207727547390162008-10-13T19:52:00.001+01:002008-10-13T19:54:23.771+01:00

Bournemouth put on the best display I have seen from them this season at the weekend but we still came away with a 0-0 draw in a game we really needed to win.We absolutely dominated a Rotherham side that, if like they hadn’t been deducted 17 points like Bournemouth, would have been fourth in the table ahead of Saturday’s fixture.It was dubbed the ‘deduction derby’ or the ‘minus six pointer’ but

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-16826678587871325302008-10-09T18:35:00.002+01:002008-10-09T18:36:42.805+01:00

The current advertising campaign for Heineken lager involves a typical stuffy British man embracing idiosyncrasies of the European way of life by getting his ‘continental head’ on.As rugby’s Heineken Cup kicks off this weekend the weight of expectation suggests we are envisaging a similar full-blooded embrace of the European way of things by our British clubs.The tournament has seemingly been

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-77643083611619524122008-10-05T19:41:00.002+01:002008-10-05T19:44:59.509+01:00

While Arsenal fans may be enjoying the misery endured by their north London neighbours Tottenham at the moment, the elation is probably not enough to mask concerns about their own team’s performances this term.The Gunners were given an almost dream start in terms of the fixture list and if they had any realistic ambitions of challenging for the league title this season they needed to be right up

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-90030764486679198612008-10-02T16:53:00.002+01:002008-10-02T16:54:47.012+01:00

It seems every time the words ‘Newcastle United’ are mentioned nowadays, a term along the lines of ‘crisis club’ follows not long after.Other phrases such as ‘soap opera’ and ‘turmoil’ are also common parlance when talking about the Geordie outfit.But amid all the tumult – the managerial coming and goings, the fans protests, the takeover speculation – one thing has been remarkably

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-50105943001818613832008-09-30T16:42:00.001+01:002008-09-30T16:44:06.512+01:00

One of English rugby’s most eagerly awaited comebacks in recent years is expected tomorrow after Wasps named Danny Cipriani in their starting line-up against Bath for their Guiness Premiership clash.Exactly how Wasps and England rugby fans have come to invest so much hope in the 20-year-old - who was last seen being stretchered off with a fractured and dislocated right ankle only four-and-a-half

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-33765282468892937472008-09-26T17:10:00.001+01:002008-09-26T17:11:30.767+01:00

Emile Heskey has kopped a lot of abuse during his career.He has spent much of his footballing life being castigated for, among others, his lack of touch, his poor goal scoring record, his erratic finishing and his tendency – despite being a man mountain – to go to ground far too easily.Heskey has never seemed too bothered by theses tirades of vitriol thrown in his direction, shrugging it off in

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-2598539689564665942008-09-24T19:33:00.001+01:002008-09-24T19:35:26.040+01:00

With a lot of things in life we’re told you get out what you put in and I couldn’t help thinking of that maxim when looking at some of this week’s Carling Cup clashes.While Arsenal’s hungry youngsters and Rotherham’s brave underdogs grabbed the opportunity others shrank back and balked at the experience.It seems the Carling Cup has become a chameleon of a competition that almost every club looks

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-74420560827815620052008-09-11T16:53:00.002+01:002008-09-11T16:55:37.384+01:00

It's amazing what can be done in ninety minutes.In just an hour and a half the English football team managed to convert a nation of football fans from cynics to ardent followers.In the same period a 19-year-old prodigy was elevated to the status of national hero and a moody Italian became the next messiah.The national side was at a low ebb before last night's tie in Zagreb and the impact of the

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-9310419909071347492008-09-10T06:46:00.002+01:002008-09-10T06:48:39.497+01:00

As cricket’s County Championship tries to build to a climax in the brief passages of play between rain delays there was no doubt a special buzz of excitement at the Oval yesterday as a newcomer made a belated entry to the competition.The cricketer in question was fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, who has agreed to join strugglers Surrey for their remaining handful of games.The Rawalpindi Express has had

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-33865239060915517702008-09-08T18:50:00.001+01:002008-09-08T18:51:54.884+01:00

We Brits are always somewhat resistant to change and new ideas, particularly when those ideas come in from the continent.In football there is a general feeling that, just like our breakfasts, British is best.The latest bastion of Britishness being forthrightly defended on terraces up and down the land is the old school British manager.Already this season the Premier League has seen two managerial

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-36901648357631242052008-09-05T16:59:00.001+01:002008-09-05T17:01:10.839+01:00

When a serialisation of Jamie Carragher’s autobiography revealed that playing for his club meant more to the Liverpool defender than turning out for England it caused relatively little fuss.A few years ago fans would have been up in arms at the idea that an English footballer doesn’t put representing his country at the top of his footballing ambitions.But none of us were really surprised by

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-57120364378700135442008-09-02T17:35:00.002+01:002008-09-02T17:38:49.183+01:00

Manchester City fans woke up this morning to find they were suddenly a force to be reckoned with in the Premiership.One swallow doesn’t make a summer but, as statement signings go, the capture of Brazil forward Robinho – who was courted by Chelsea all summer – for a record British transfer fee certainly sends out a pretty clear message.It seems there are two categories of foreign owners in the

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-24112150439255243092008-09-02T17:31:00.003+01:002008-09-02T17:35:07.729+01:00

While some fans were busy scouring airports, training grounds or fans forums to see which multi-million pounds imports were arriving at their clubs on transfer deadline day, Bournemouth fans were digesting the news that manager Kevin Bond has been sacked.For many fans the news will have come as something of a relief, sections of our support have been calling for Bond’s head since early last

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-586680802666739212008-08-31T18:52:00.002+01:002008-08-31T18:54:08.859+01:00

Every team has its off days when things don’t go to plan and players under perform, but one thing fans find hard to accept is when a side gives the impression they lack commitment.It was hard to single out any one Bournemouth player who had a particularly bad game in Saturday’s match at Port Vale, but the whole team effort seemed flat all afternoon.There seemed to be a lack of passion and, I don’

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-45311928707694012892008-08-29T14:13:00.002+01:002008-08-29T14:14:12.552+01:00

They say some things never change and as we embark on this new season it seems Liverpool's customary Champions League luck has yet to desert them.Rafael Benitez's side squeezed past a plucky Standard Liege side in qualifying in a manner that hardly surprises us any more.Dirk Kuyt struck at the end of extra time after two legs in which the Scousers’ goalie Pepe Reina was comfortably his side's

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-67765979581572633392008-08-27T17:03:00.001+01:002008-08-27T17:05:08.022+01:00

This summer may well be remembered as a watershed moment in modern football when the rise of player power reached new heights.Dimitar Berbatov’s inevitable move to Manchester United is just the latest example of a player forcing a move away from his club against the wishes of his employers.It may seem fair enough in the world outside football - if, god forbid, I was unhappy at my job, I should

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-60063427786281046972008-08-27T17:02:00.001+01:002008-08-27T17:03:45.502+01:00

The strange air of optimism I felt going into the season at Dean Court is quickly ebbing away.I know we were deducted 17 points heading into the League Two campaign, but we had kept the majority of our squad from last year together and I genuinely felt if we got off to a good start and knocked off the points deduction quickly a season of blissful midtable anonymity lay ahead.But after taking just

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-71833834185354494122008-08-19T17:50:00.001+01:002008-08-19T17:52:02.740+01:00

As we bask in the glory of our nation's unexpected success in Beijing I hope we can find the time to spare a thought for those less fortunate figures of this Olympic Games.It would be easy to focus all out attention on the gold rush that has given Great Britain an unusual feeling of sporting fulfilment.But one of the sad but fascinating realities of the Olympics is that, at the very moment

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-49287997210655871252008-08-18T17:08:00.002+01:002008-08-18T17:10:11.397+01:00

As statements of intent go Chelsea’s start to their Premier League campaign was as emphatic as they come.Big Phil Scolari’s first game in charge saw the Blues demolish Harry Redknapp’s normally resilient Portsmouth side 4-0 just a week after Pompey kept Chelsea’s title rivals Manchester United goalless for 90 minutes, albeit in the glorified friendly that is the Community Shield.It was not just

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-76958696343244385422008-08-14T17:24:00.001+01:002008-08-14T17:26:21.999+01:00

THERE is nothing quite like the Olympics to satisfy our appetite for sporting drama and heroic tales.The dominance of Michael Phelps, the courage of Nicole Cooke and the gravity-defying grace of the Chinese gymnasts is just a selection of a whole host of stories thrown up during the opening week of the games.But the highlight of the show, the big spectacle, is just around the corner and it will

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-33099365818925779252008-08-11T21:31:00.002+01:002008-08-11T21:33:16.345+01:00

England cricket’s brave new world under Kevin Pietersen began with a win at the Brit Oval today with the converted South African predictably playing a starring role.Pietersen’s first innings century was the stellar performance in a slightly low quality game and deservedly won him the man of the match award.So far, so good for the bigwigs at Lord’s HQ.But no one knows more than Pietersen and his

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-81747256959433919462008-08-11T21:26:00.001+01:002008-08-11T21:27:54.463+01:00

With all the turmoil going on at Dean Court over recent months Darren Anderton would have been forgiven by many for simply walking away from the game.Here is a man who has played in the Premiership and the World Cup and brushed shoulders with the finest in the game.He has also gained infamy for the amount of his career he spent on the sidelines with injury.The prospect of a 17-point deduction as

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-58273024528611893292008-08-04T12:58:00.002+01:002008-08-04T13:00:54.903+01:00

Going into this weekend New Zealand rugby was in crisis.Mind you, for the All Blacks the term ‘crisis’ doesn’t carry quite the same connotations as it does in other parts of the rugby world.After an exodus of several top players, a narrow loss to the world champions followed by defeat in a pulsating game away in Australia – which again could have gone either way – for many countries would

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-71282997514535224532008-07-31T17:12:00.002+01:002008-07-31T17:14:11.022+01:00

As we enter into August I find myself even more anxious than ever for the football season to begin.This summer seems to have been ‘the summer of the drawn out transfer’ and I can’t wait for clubs to actually have some matches to focus on.Only in the last few days have any ‘big’ transfer deals been done, with Robbie Keane moving from Spurs to Liverpool for around £20 million and Blackburn’s David

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-22703406062789204052008-07-28T16:48:00.002+01:002008-07-28T16:51:09.058+01:00

”The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.”“Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on the joy of effort, the educational value of a good example and respect for universal fundamental ethical principles.”(Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympic Games)The best thing about the

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-65457658000185343422008-07-25T15:00:00.002+01:002008-07-25T15:03:21.802+01:00

A WEEK ago a guy with an Aussie accent who nobody recognised was named in the England test side at Headingly in one of the most controversial selections of recent years.The debate is still raging on over the move to call up Darren Pattinson and it has been cited as one of the main reasons England lost the game.Many people seem to have completely lost sight of the fact that England were completely

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-52742938581960886262008-07-22T17:06:00.002+01:002008-07-22T17:21:25.714+01:00

Bournemouth’s pre-season programme began in earnest last night.After what can only be described as ‘run-outs’ against the mighty Hamworthy Recreational and Poole Town, the Cherries entertained Premiership side Portsmouth and it was a pair of England forwards that stole the show.Harry Redknapp’s men ran out 4-1 winners at the Fitness First Stadium with signs of an extremely promising strike

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-57353543301292350152008-07-20T15:13:00.002+01:002008-07-20T15:18:21.545+01:00

With all the furore raised over Dwain Chambers’ failure to turn over his Olympic ban, the disintegration of another man’s Beijing dream went largely unnoticed.When South Africa announced its Olympic team this week there was no place for Oscar Pistorius.The disabled 400m runner, dubbed ‘the blade runner’ due to his prosthetic legs, missed out on selection after losing his battle not in the courts

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-77764502936981109702008-07-16T20:37:00.002+01:002008-07-16T20:38:57.098+01:00

Andrew Flintoff will almost certainly make his return to test cricket this week in one of the most eagerly awaited comebacks in years.The burly Lancastrian has been missing from the test side for 18 months but has still managed to dominate headlines with his absence.The return of ‘Freddie’ is being hailed as a new dawn for English cricket, as they look to put aside years of inconsistency and

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-9834741570218012692008-07-15T21:26:00.001+01:002008-07-15T21:28:07.411+01:00

With the new season just weeks away a genuine sense of panic must overwhelm the managers of newly promoted clubs.Tony Pulis, Phil Brown and Tony Mowbray must look on with green-eyed envy as bosses like Sir Alex Ferguson talk of one or two ‘tweaks’ to their squad as the new boys seek a radical overhaul of their playing staff.The sad reality of football remains that if you perform well as part of a

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-66283244643456838132008-07-11T14:43:00.002+01:002008-07-11T14:45:34.758+01:00

I’m sure we all had an argument with our parents as teenagers that ended something along the lines of ‘I’m 16, not a kid anymore’.Well one 16-year-old has been ruffling a few feathers in the world of football this week after a move that could set a dangerous precedent for other young players.Crystal Palace’s highly coveted midfielder John Bostock completed his controversial move to Tottenham

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-77943946604921070012008-07-09T17:36:00.001+01:002008-07-09T17:38:32.910+01:00

Another week goes by and still the AFC Bournemouth administration circus rumbles on.It seems an awful long time ago since the club went into receivership in February and there is still no sign of a concrete rescue plan for the club.Chairman Jeff Mostyn has occupied the position of preferred bidder to take the club forward almost since day one but, despite numerous claims that he had the financial

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-24525871712467680862008-07-07T17:38:00.002+01:002008-07-07T17:41:39.010+01:00

It has already been billed as the greatest game of all time and yesterday’s Wimbledon men’s final is destined to be mentioned in the same breath as Borg v McEnroe in 1980.It had everything, talent, drama, emotion and, above all, heart.But one man who may not have enjoyed the epic four-hour battle was Andy Murray.For all his rhetoric about his belief in his own ability and confidence that he could

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-60340443134363478632008-07-02T18:30:00.002+01:002008-07-02T18:31:24.871+01:00

Yesterday signalled the official start of Martin Johnson’s hands on involvement in England rugby as he named his first senior squad.Johnson’s first international is not until November 8 and he will be given more ‘contact time’ with the players than ever before thanks to the new elite squad system that compensates clubs for the time players spend training with the national set up.But even for a

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-25130483017716627682008-07-01T15:51:00.001+01:002008-07-01T15:52:45.315+01:00

Sport has a funny way of producing the greatest dramas when we least expect it.Andy Murray was down and out against Richard Gasquet last night as the Frenchman assumed a two set lead and was left simply needing to hold his serve to seal the match.But the young Scotsman has obviously been watching Turkey in the European Championships and the way they waiting till the final nail was all but

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-55552926623673701842008-06-30T21:06:00.001+01:002008-06-30T21:08:09.987+01:00

We will have to think of a new tag with which to label the Spanish sides at future major tournaments.For so long they have been ‘perennial underachievers Spain’ but they shed that moniker by rising to the occasion at the Ernst Happel stadium yesterday.For the next couple of tournaments ‘Euro 2008 champions Spain’ will suffice and it’s a title they richly deserve.The Spaniards were simply too good

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-28040739948848842352008-06-30T19:24:00.003+01:002008-11-13T04:07:45.850Z

It’s been a rare week of good news at Dean Court.AFC Bournemouth are still in administration and joint administrator Gerald Krasner has admitted that the club is likely to start with a 15-point deduction next season.However, all bar one of our out of contract players have committed to the club for next season and the squad for the upcoming campaign is starting to take shape.Josh Gowling has fled

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-29325251399921026812008-06-26T17:25:00.002+01:002008-11-13T04:07:45.995Z

Paul Collingwood must be looking back through rose tinted spectacles at the days when all he had to worry about was woeful batting form and a crisis of confidence.His early season woes with the willow must now seem small fry compared to the troubles now sitting on his shoulders.Forced to sit out the next three one-day internationals and a Twenty20 for overseeing a slow over rate in the field in

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-89710888769537619432008-06-25T18:12:00.001+01:002008-06-25T18:14:20.926+01:00

The home nations rugby sides are currently licking their wounds after another emphatic reminder that they are still playing catch up with the Southern Hemisphere on the international stage.Scotland may have claimed one win out of two in hostile surroundings in Argentina but Ireland, Wales and England all came up short against the big guns of the south.The question on the minds of management staff

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-79702365093407194102008-06-23T19:14:00.003+01:002008-11-13T04:07:46.348Z

I was extremely pleased that the local television directors producing the pictures for Euro 2008 picked up on the dramatic body language of Italian striker Luca Toni early in the tournament.Few neutrals have shed a tear at the exit of Roberto Donadoni’s World Champions, as their exit will hardly hinder the entertainment aspects of the tournament.However, one source of amusement to take from their

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-18896988712995013232008-06-23T19:10:00.004+01:002008-11-13T04:07:46.429Z

It’s that time of year again at SW19 when the place comes alive with strawberries and cream, rain delays, Sharapova’s legs and McEnroe’s opinions as the whole nation suddenly takes an interest in tennis.This year at Wimbledon though one of the staple ingredients of the British summer banquet will be missing.Yes, I’m talking about ‘Tiger’ Tim Henman, and I’m not ashamed to admit that I will miss

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-35521647137364158062008-06-16T19:04:00.002+01:002008-11-13T04:07:46.747Z

I have a confession to make. Something I want to get off my chest.Without wanting to sound like a kind of cricketing Luddite, I just don’t get the whole Twenty20 revolution.I’m normally all for change or ‘progress’ and we repeatedly hear how sport is an ‘entertainment business’, but something just didn’t sit right with me from the start of this whole insatiable thirst for quickfire cricket.It

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-40100137135565154782008-06-13T17:40:00.002+01:002008-11-13T04:07:46.888Z

The Carling Cup first round has been drawn, full league fixtures are revealed on Monday and most fans are starting to get excited about the 2008/9 season.For Bournemouth fans though the new season still feels a very long way away.The Cherries have now been in administration for 18 weeks and the lack of progress towards a rescue package is becoming alarming.Before we begin life in League Two and

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-28908243695105602052008-06-12T17:29:00.003+01:002008-11-13T04:07:47.089Z

So ‘Big’ Phil Scolari has taken up the hottest of managerial hotseats at Stamford Bridge.Scolari was the obvious choice once Milan’s Carlo Ancelotti dropped out of the running, it seems the only surprise about the appointment of the Portugal boss was the timing.With their usual disregard for other teams and other competitions the Stamford Bridge outfit chose the middle of a major tournament in

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-46723836608743932292008-06-11T18:36:00.004+01:002008-11-13T04:07:47.213Z

It is often said that ‘money talks’ and in sport it is a phrase that seems to be borne out with added emphasis on a daily basis.Cricketers are having their heads turned by the riches of the IPL and footballers are being offered ever higher wages as the dollar proves its pulling power.This week All-Black legend Richie McCaw bucked the trend as he put pen to paper on contract that will keep him

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-33119570485638319912008-06-09T17:46:00.002+01:002008-06-09T17:52:30.069+01:00

Following a typically ridiculous opening ceremony Euro 2008 is underway.The tournament hasn’t exactly burst onto the scene, it seems instead to have quietly poked its head around the corner to see if anyone is watching.So far the general format has been for the underdogs to battle bravely but not quite have enough to cause an upset as the favourites, with their winning mentalities, have ground

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-48647887174730875122008-06-06T16:42:00.003+01:002008-06-06T16:45:06.897+01:00

We've had heard keepers going on about the 'movement of the new balls', the papers have been tracking races for fitness and the office sweepstake has been drawn... it must be time for a major tournament to begin.Only this year there is something missing. Where are the St George's crosses adorning white vans across the country? Where are the queues of people by the racks of 50 per cent off England

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-14110752699161249402008-06-04T19:42:00.003+01:002008-06-04T19:48:34.637+01:00

Some sportsmen thrive in adversity because it gives them a chance to see how good they really are.It is easy to look impressive when you are riding on the coat tails of an all-conquering team, it is when the chips are down that the true champion comes out.Shivnarine Chanderpaul has made a career out of battling the odds in impossible situations and he seems to have taken it to a new level in the

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-87343821946914702942008-06-04T18:22:00.003+01:002008-06-04T18:28:52.792+01:00

"My imperfections and failures are as much a blessing from God as my successes and talents andI lay them both at his feet" (Mahatma Gandhi)We often refer to the ‘theatre of sport’ and this could be because at the heart of it we endlessly come across characters who define dramatic conventions.One of the most fascinating theatrical characters, particularly prominent in Shakespearean drama, is the

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-79313502760146108322008-06-01T21:58:00.003+01:002008-06-02T05:52:28.353+01:00

THERE is nothing in sport quite like two champions battling it out in a winner-takes-all clash.English rugby union’s end of season play-off system has struggled for universal acceptance but on Saturday it served up the showpiece final it was designed to create.With the greatest of respect to west country duo Gloucester and Bath, who have been setting the pace in the Guiness Premiership for most

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-3876391728438976612008-05-30T19:03:00.002+01:002008-11-13T04:07:47.420Z

We tend to cover our ears nowadays when we hear Sepp Blatter has come up with another ‘big idea’ for the future of our game.The man whose past brainwaves have included bigger goals, female players in tight shorts and the silver goal has been on his soap box again and the immediate temptation is to turn a blind eye.For years the games hierarchy has treated the FIFA president with the kind of

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-76979534563732186402008-05-30T19:01:00.001+01:002008-05-30T19:03:01.706+01:00

It’s going to be a long summer for AFC Bournemouth and, if the prophets of doom amongst the Dean Court faithful are to be believed, the off-season could be a permanent one.The club has been in administration since February, with no sign of light at the end of the tunnel, despite claims by chairman Jeff Mostyn that he had agreed a deal with administrator Gerald Krasner.Young star Sam Vokes has

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-77999503305226857632008-05-28T19:11:00.002+01:002008-11-13T04:07:47.580Z

It seems one man has been forgotten when we look back to that memorable night in Munich when England thrashed Germany 5-1.You could almost forgive someone if they looked at pictures of that evening and asked: ‘Who’s that short squat bloke in the number eleven shirt’.The answer, of course is one Nick Barmby, who was temporarily the latest in a long line of ‘solutions’ to the infamous left wing

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-35543011035464003082008-05-27T20:08:00.006+01:002008-05-27T20:32:34.799+01:00

I have to congratulate Doncaster Rovers on their play-off success at the weekend.With former AFC Bournemouth boss Sean O'Driscoll at the helm and ex-Cherries Jamie Hayter and Brian Stock combining for the winning goal, there was definitely a south coast flavour to their triumph.Of course, I wish the old boy network had come to the fore on the last day of the regular season when Donny lost to

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6940017149653775550.post-65796426600788268282008-05-27T19:59:00.003+01:002008-11-13T04:07:47.780Z

An army of sheep led by a lion would defeat an army of lions led by a sheep. (Arab proverb)One of the lads on the sports desk had a bit of a chuckle to himself the other day when reading a piece sent in by one of his more self important cricket reporters on a local league match.The correspondent grandly described how the vice-captain bravely took on the captain’s armband when his captain was

Harry Hoggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04068364172604496935noreply@blogger.com0