IAN COLE’s weekly sports round-up though quotes includes that Danny Murphy line, plenty from the Delhi Commonwealth Games, plus Des Lynam on the BBC’s move to Salford, and Tottenham and West Ham’s turf war in east London
“You get managers who are sending their teams out to stop other sides playing, which is happening more and more – the Stokes, Blackburns and Wolves. The players are so pumped up there are inevitably going to be problems” Danny Murphy, the Fulham midfielder, speaking at the Leaders in Football conference.
“You need to rid European football pitches of this kind of player” Jean-Claude Dassier, the Marseille president, wants to sue Manchester City’s Nigel de Jong, whose tackle broke the leg of his club’s player Hatem Ben Arfa while he is on loan at Newcastle.
“It’s often said I dish it out, but I’ve been on the receiving end of plenty of bad tackles. I have the scars and broken bones to prove it. I enjoy the physical side, the battle with the centre half. After the game we shake hands and move on” Kevin Davies wins an England call up at 33.
“Good work by Abby Walker. She’s a brain surgeon by profession. She used her brain then” Nigel Starmer-Smith, in Colemanballs mode during commentary on Commonwealth Games hockey.
“The crowd here are making a real noise now. They’d be raising the proverbial roof if there was one” Steve Cram slips in to the proverbial commentator’s trap in Delhi.
“I like the BBC’s coverage of the Games, too. If you are tired of the Sky Sports News format of an attractive young blonde woman with a rather older man, try young Jake Humphrey alongside Sue Barker at the Games, which more than reverses the trend” Martin Kelner, in typical style, in his weekly TV sports review.
“If it happens there will be problems that could easily lead to civil unrest. There could be riots, such is the ill-feeling between West Ham and Spurs” David Sullivan, West Ham’s co-chairman, makes a grim prediction after Tottenham make a rival bid to move in to London’s Olympic Stadium after 2012.
“If he is worried about Tottenham, he can only begin to have sleepless nights about the aggravation I’m going to give him if he moves on my doorstep. This is Tesco moving next to the sweet shop on the corner as far as I’m concerned” Barry Hearn, the Orient chairman, whose club play in Waltham Forest, is upset by West Ham’s proposed move within the Borough of Newham.
“There is no doubt we have to see City as major challengers this season, along with Chelsea. The money City have spent, the quality and depth of their squad, mean we have to see them as rivals for the title” Gary Neville, the Manchester United captain, with rare acknowledgement of the blue half of the city – bizarrely in the Sunday Times of Malta.
“I was hoping it would be Land Of Hope And Glory, because that’s all I know” Fran Halsall, England’s first Commonwealth Games gold medallist in Delhi, struggled to cope with the lengthy version of her country’s newly chosen anthem, Jerusalem.
“I stayed up all night learning the words to Jerusalem. I had it down to a tee, but when I got on the podium my brain just scrambled and I couldn’t remember a thing” Danielle Brown, in archery, is England’s first Paralympian to win a Commonwealth Games gold in able-bodied competition.
“I just pictured my dad on that finish line as I was running in and it gave me a second wind” Louise Hazel, the Commonwealth Games heptathlon champion, on how she drove herself on by thinking of her father, who died two years ago.
“That’s it, I’m off to spend two weeks in London now. I’m going to check out Selfridges for all the new shoes” Rebecca Adlington, two swimming gold medals in her handbag, sets a new target.
“The multiple world and Olympic champion sprinter Michael Johnson, an excellent pundit for the BBC – Mark Foster and Ian Thorpe are good on the swimming as well – summed up one of the main appeals of the Games when, commenting on the absence of Jamaica’s top sprinters, he said: ‘There is enough quality here – not top quality – but enough quality’.” Kelner, again.
“The money wasted on the ridiculous move of the sports department to Manchester would have paid the rights fees many times over” Des Lynam, the former BBC Sport anchorman, writing in the Telegraph, rails over the corporation’s loss of coverage of the athletics world championships to Channel 4.
“Being something of a hypochondriac, I have just paid a small fortune to BUPA for a complete health check. The bad news for Liverpool supporters is that I’m going to live” Kelvin McKenzie, in his Sun column, shows his continuing affection for Liverpool – and why the Merseyside boycott of the paper continues.
“Michael, there’s no team orders…but please be sensible if you make a move” Team radio advice to Michael Schumacher at the Japan Grand Prix.
“We will be throwing everything at the remaining races and it is still all in play. Until it can’t be done you keep pushing” Martin Whitmarsh, the McLaren team principal, refuses to concede defeat for Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button in the drivers’ championship.
“That’s the rudest thing you’ve ever said to me. Fuck off. Get out. Hanging on? It could be 10 points mate if I podium and Webber doesn’t” Jenson Button in post-race interview.
“I hope Matthew realises that his behaviour has led to the chaos which has engulfed the club” Neil Davidson resigns as Leicestershire cricket chairman with a parting shot at captain Matthew Hoggard.
“Danny’s telling us he’s had problems with his visa. There’s an issue with the visa from the English side, but that’s not to say it couldn’t have been done a couple of of months ago” Rod Macqueen, coach to Melbourne Rebels, is less than impressed by Danny Cipriani’s late arrival for pre-season training.
“Roy Hodgson has only just got his feet under the door” Stan Collymore, on TalkSport.
Voting for the SJA’s annual British Sports Awards is now open. Only SJA members may vote, and they are allowed to vote only once, when they must choose their top three choice for Sportsman, Sportswoman and Team of the Year.
Deadline for voting is November 9.
Click here for the online voting form.
Tickets to attend the SJA British Sports Awards on December 8 are also now on sale. Click here for a booking form.