8 July 1998

John Melvin's world of sport

Welcome to a new weekly column in which, it is hoped, first of all can stimulate some thought, perhaps annoy a few people, hopefully inform and entertain, and, perhaps, more importantly, give the impression that I do know a little about sport. So now that the introduction is out of the way, and if you do have a bit of spare time on your hands, why not drop me a line, or better still, give us a bell, and let us know what you think of the new column. If you think it's boring, only fit for the bin, then say so. We'd love to hear from you. Of course, if you think its worth continuing with, we'd also like to hear from you. If you have any general points to make about the sports coverage of the paper we would also appreciate your advice on how best to improve matters. We'd like to think we are doing a good ob but there is always room for improvements or adjustments so lo lets be hearing from you..

CHANNEL 4 FOR RACING

Racing fans don't need to be told that when it comes to the best coverage of the sports of kings, then there is only one t.v. channel- Channel 4. Derek Thompson and John Francome and the team bring a nice easy style to the programme and, more importantly, they do provide superb background information and are not too far off the mark when it comes to giving the punters a chance of picking a winner. I like Derek Thomson's lovely interview with an American couple who simply adored British racing. In fact, the lady had visited no fewer than 59 tracks in Britain and when asked if there was anything in particular American racing was lacking and that she would like to take back from British racing. "Yes. Frankie. Without a doubt, I'd love to bring back Frankie Detorri". she said.

FOOTBALL MANAGERS

Footballers do, and have become, very successful managers, but it is extremely difficult to become a born again footballer having taken over the mantle of manager. Val. Daly, to his cost, tried it last year with Galway and it back-fired big time on him. The latest to attempt a return to the field of dreams it was Larry Tomkins, the Cork manager, who selected himself for Sunday's Munster championship clash with Kerry, a Kerry team that looks set for another championship win, I might add.. It didn't work out for the 35 year-old, who was too old to start with, and too long out of football to make a contribution. There comes a time when footballers have to stop playing. That time arrived for Larry Tomkins a few years ago. It doesn't say a lot for the football conveyor belt in Cork if a manager can not find a centre forward in a county of its size. Larry also made things very difficult from himself in terms of deciding to make switches or substitutions. It is one thing to be able to view matters from the sideline, to trying to make judgments while you are in the thick of the play, is very difficult to do in any sport, well you might get away with it in cricket or darts- but not while playing 'real' games.

SPIT IT OUT SPOT

If you have something you have been chewing on for sometime, and I'm not talking about gum or the cud, why not spit it out. This column will devote a few inches every week to readers who have something to say. Is there something in certain sports that annoy you? Would you like to see certain changes been made? What really annoys you about sport, any sport. Or even sports writers. Why not have a go. Keep your comments short, and if possible, free of libel, I'm not ready just yet for early retirement. So to start the ball rolling, so to speak, I have something that has bugged me during the World Cup. Now I've tried my best to writing on the World Cup. I don't claim to be an expert ons soccer matters.. I'll leave that to the Man United boys, but I have to say the World Cup referees, who are being paid £16,000 each for their services, abdicated totally in their responsibility in dealing with players who are diving.

I mean we saw more dives in this world Cup than I have witnessed at the Castlebar Swimming pool on my regular Wednesday lunchtime swim. Referees were handing out red and yellow cards like confetti to players who were only trying to get the ball while it seemed there had to be a certain quota of penalties given away in every group. But when it came to carding the greatest cheats of all, the diving brigade who launched themselves into the air and fall inside the penalty box when caught by even a whiff of the breeze; not a card in sight. Now those are the culprits who are bringing football into disrepute. Not one of them was convicted and that is a shame and a shame on the referees who failed to take the responsibility of dealing with them and getting rid of this foulest of all fouls.

HONEST MANAGERS

I regularly take myself aside and have a serious chat. It's all part of the therapy that keeps us serving from one day to the next. But I often wonder do our Gulch football managers every do the same. God, what I wouldn't give for a manager to actually tell the truth some day about a game. You know what I mean. For instance John O'Mahony will be interviewed over the coming weeks and will give his views on the Connacht Final and the prosects of Sligo beating Galway. John will, like other managers, pay pious platitudes to their opponents. "We expect a tough game "It will be a close fought affair', 'we're taking nothing for granted' etc..etc.. Will some manager please have the guts to tell the truth and say what he really thinks.. I'd love to hear a manager for once say 'Look. Our opponents haven't a hope in hell on Sunday. We'll beat the living daylights out of them . They're a useless shower and are going nowhere. There's only one team to going to win on Sunday and it won't be the team that is playing against us". Now give me the manager that will come out with that speel and I'll propose him for a knighthood. Mind you, I'd like to see the same honesty applied to players who are on some teams. Instead of this, 'well he did try very hard, although your man did score six points off him'. "It wasn't that he was unlucky with his effort at scoring, its just that there was a real danger he might actually land a point and then he'd start thinking he was a full forward instead of staying where he is supposed to be, corner back". Wouldn't it be a breath of fresh air for a a manager to say 'The chances of your man holding his place the next day are between slim and none. He didn't have a bad game really, he had a terrible game and is unlikely to appear in the county jersey again, unless he decided to join the over 40's". Now the day I hear that from a manager, that's the day I'll fold the tent and seek a living picking mushrooms on Croagh Patrick.

Quiz Spot; We'll be throwing in the odd question here and there, and will be sending out a few T-shirts and other prizes to our respondents. This week, can you tell me the name on the Cup that is presented to the winners of the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship?

Connaught Telegraph - News & Sport - July 1998