IAN COLE’s weekly round-up of sports and media week through quotes includes mentions for Serena Williams, Ken Loach, Abbey Clancey and Boris Johnson, plus a whiff of anabolic steroids and cocaine
“Aren’t you the one who screwed me over last time?” Serena Williams,sourest of the once all-conquering Williams sisters, rants at an umpire as she loses the US Open final to Sam Stosur.
“I’m having a go at myself because I get frustrated. I know if I went out there and said nothing there would be questions about why I wasn’t myself. I want to find the balance. There is 1 or 2 per cent in my game I could gain” Andy Murray, beaten by Rafa Nadal at the US Open, his fourth Grand Slam semi-final defeat of the year.
“It’s the same old story. All you care about is money” Rafa Nadal leads a protest group of Andy Murray and Andy Ruddock to tournament referee Brian Earley after the trio are made to play a handful of games on US Open courts made dangerous by incessant rain.
“Will he join me in calling on the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport to look closely at the decision by the British Olympic Association to deny media accreditation to such fine local London papers as the News Shopper?” Jo Johnson MP, brother of London Mayor Boris, asks a question in the House of Commons of minister for sport Hugh Robertson about the lack of Olympic accreditation for London’s local papers.
“I can’t understand someone’s logic. Africa’s player-of-the-year, a hero in his own country, leaving the biggest stage in the world. I will let people draw their own conclusions” Steve Bruce, Sunderland manager, loses Asamoah Gyan to a top club in…the United Arab Republic.
“There was an element of luck about our goal” Arsene Wenger, Arsenal manager, after Swansea keeper Michel Worm gifts his side a winner.
“He struck the ball well. He had an off day, but it’s really unusual for him to have one of those. I suppose surreal is the right word” Mike Ford, England defence coach, after Jonny Wilkinson missed five penalty kicks in the World Cup opener against Argentina.
“I have never said I did not want to move to Stoke. It’s a load of lies. I will always stand up and support my husband in everything” Abbey Clancey, head WAG and now wife of Stoke’s new signing Peter Crouch, has always wanted a season ticket to the Britannia Stadium.
“If we keep playing like that, we’ll be okay, but if we keep getting battered by things outside our control and jurisdiction that’s different. It’s important to respect referees, but it’s more important that referees respect my football club, the owners’ football club, Liverpool Football Club” Kenny Dalglish, no more Mr Nice Guy as Liverpool manager, believes refs have got it in for his team.
“Tense stomachs will be fluttering on steroids” Francois Pienaar, the former Springboks captain, sends WADA testers scurrying as he speculates on how England’s players might be feeling before their opening Rugby World Cup game.
“If you don’t disclose information, then you are subject to an allegation or suggestion that you are hiding something. You shouldn’t be putting yourself in that position” David Howman, director general of the World Anti-Doping Agency, interviewed by C4’s Dispatches, sceptical about the FA’s lack of transparency over drug testing in English football.
“If we had known, we would not have signed him, but we had no idea. No-one told us anything” Dan Rowling, general manager at Barnsley who signed Gary O’Connor on loan from Birmingham, unaware the striker had just served a “secret” two-month ban after testing positive for cocaine.
“Loads of footballers are taking it. They’ve got lots of money, and it brings the girls in, so they do it” Leon Knight, the former Chelsea, Brighton and Swansea player, interviewed on C4 about players’ cocaine use.
“Some people regard you, no doubt, as an inspiration to Paralympic athletes, no question about that. But it might also be said that you’re an inconvenient embarrassment to the South African authorities and the IAAF because, effectively, you’re taking them into uncharted ethical waters here. What’s your reaction to that?” Rob Bonnet questions Oscar Pistorious on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
“I think that’s an insult to me and I think this interview is over” Pistorius‘s response before leaving the interview.
“Much as we admire the Blade Runner it surely emphasises the point that his presence in able-bodied events simply leaves too many questions unanswered” Alan Hubbard, in the Independent on Sunday.
“In Peter Ridsdale we are very fortunate to have the best man in the UK to save a football club” Kevin Heaney, front man for a group of unidentified investors bidding to buy Plymouth Argyle land from the administrators.
“One day, the British film industry may come up with an even more brilliant evocation of the national game. Until then, we shall be humbly thankful to Ken Loach” Patrick Collins pays tribute to the Brian Glover football scene in Kes in his Mail on Sunday column.
“Not long ago, if we lost to South Africa by four or five points, the champagne corks would be popping in the changing room and we’d be chuffed to bits. Not any more. The mentality Warren Gatland has instilled into us is that we can beat them” Adam Jones, the Wales forward. The Welsh lost their RWC opener to the defending champions by one point.
“Yanking Steve Rider back from the celebrity golf circuit was a smart move. Steve knows how to present live sport on TV, which as Channel 4’s coverage of the World Athletics Championships demonstrated, is not a skill you should jettison lightly” Martin Kelner on ITV’s coverage of the Rugby World Cup.
“If you’d want one person in that position it’d be Earnie” Gary Speed, Wales manager, after Robert Earnshaw misses an open goal to let England escape with a 1-0 win at Wembley.
“They told me in the dressing room that it’s great for me to be in those positions and to be getting those chances, but I’m devastated. I know I should have scored and my team mates know I should have scored. There’s absolutely no chance of me watching it again” Robert Earnshaw.
“People can talk about my age for as long as they like. There’s nothing better in football than proving people wrong and I’ll try to do that for as long as I can. I don’t know what all the fuss is about” Frank Lampard, dropped by England for the first time against Bulgaria.
“For 20 minutes we played well. So if you can do that for 20 minutes, why can’t you do the same for the rest of the game? This is what I don’t understand, why?” Fabio Capello, the England manager, as much at a loss to explain his side’s performance as the team’s supporters.
“You can’t try to put the ball in the stands, then just watch as it ends up in your net, and expect to get results” Nigel Worthington, Northern Ireland manager, after chaotic defending leads to a 4-1 defeat in Estonia.
“We were lucky with this 90 minutes. I told the players that I think St Patrick was looking down on us” Giovanni Trapattoni, Ireland’s Italian manager, after a heroic goalless draw in Russia.
“When we did cross-country he would run alongside the other lead runners because he didn’t know where he was going, so he would often get outkicked at the finish because he didn’t know where it was. Another time he sped off in the wrong direction from the start. He really struggled to understand anything” Alan Watkinson, Mo Farah’s first PE teacher, on the schoolboy who was to become 5,000 metres world champion.
UPCOMING SJA DATES
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