Monday 28 June 2010

DON'T AXE FABIO

I'm not joining the mob screaming for Capello to be fired. Not yet. It is only right that the FA should give themselves two weeks to reflect on the situation. What is key is whether, in that two weeks, Fabio shows he has learned anything. If he doesn't, then fine - time to order the horse's head. But if he shows that he has taken on board lessons from South Africa then the FA would be daft to dismiss him. We'll never get anywhere by throwing coaches overboard every two years. Capello has never had a group of international players away at a tournament before. Now he has, and he knows what to expect next time. That experience will be priceless and the FA must look for evidence that Fabio has taken it on board before making any decision.

Sunday 27 June 2010

THAT IS REALLY NOT CRICKET

I know today was a disappointing day for English football but that doesn't excuse BBC 5 Live ignoring a superb performance by the England cricket team in their 6.30pm sports news. The bulletin started with the result of the European Grand Prix - a few hours' old by then, and then a recap on the football result. The cricketers' win over Australia at Old Trafrford which clinched the one-day series didn't get a mention - despite being the most recent item of sports news. If my sports journalism students had produced such a flabby effort I would have been shocked.

Couldn't have had anything to do with Sky having TV rights to the cricket while the Beeb were showing the football, could it?