The Arab football Spring

The performances of the North African national football sides in 2011 have reflected the political actions of the Arab Spring

The failure of Egypt, the champions of the past three tournaments, to qualify for the 2012 African Cup of Nations (ACN), alongside the absence of regional heavyweights Cameroon and Nigeria, has thrown the tournament wide open.

Egypt’s campaign in particular was a shambles, with defeats to Sierra Leone, Niger and South Africa in the final qualification stage. But 2011 has not been an ordinary year in North Africa. With Egypt’s revolution beginning on January 25 2011 and the Arab Spring in full flow, one could be forgiven for thinking the instability in the country could not have helped its football team, particularly given the continuing uncertainties moving into 2012.

However, the list of qualifiers for the African Cup of Nations has thrown up a number of surprise names, not least Libya and Sudan, as well as (less surprisingly) Tunisia and Morocco. While Tunisia were tournament winners in 2004 after beating Morocco in the final, Sudan have made little impression on the tournament since they won the competition in 1970. Libya has hardly ever registered in African football consciousness, a runners-up spot in 1982 notwithstanding. Alongside Algeria (who just missed out of qualification), all these nations have had significant upheavals and protests during the Arab Spring and in the case of Tunisia, Libya and Egypt, regime change.

The 2010 African Cup of Nations in Angola, won by Egypt. Source: me_studio

It seems implausible that national footballers can remain unaffected by such political turmoil. With national football teams so often projected as a symbol of the nation; and aggressively so in the case of some North African states, could there be a link between the nature of political action and performances on the football field? Is there a case to make that powerful nations can be rocked by revolutions, but smaller and weaker nations can be emboldened and united by them?

So how have these six North African nations fared since the outbreak of their particular versions of the Arab Spring in the past year?

By collating the results from all matches (both competitive and friendly) since the beginning of the Arab Spring political action in each nation and comparing these results against performances from the previous 12 months (or at least eight games in the case of Morocco and Libya to ensure a fair sample size), it seems abundantly clear that almost all of the North African sides, with the dramatic exception of Egypt, have improved their results in terms of average points per match (see table below).

Apart from Egypt, 2011 has been a fantastic year for North African football

Taken as a whole, these six nations have competed in 53 matches since the start of the Arab Spring, gaining 87 points, with a 45% win ration and an average of 1.64 points per match.

In the 12 months prior to the Arab Spring (or at least eight matches stretching back into 2009 for Libya and Morocco), these same six nations contested 60 matches, but only won 79 points, with only a 33% win ratio and just 1.32 points per match.

Whilst a trend is clear, it is important to look at each country more specifically.

Egypt appears to be the exception to the rule. The country was arguably, up until 2011, the most successful team in African football during the past decade with an unprecedented three straight ACN crowns, boasting seven titles overall and have qualified for every tournament since 1982.

Although the Pharaohs had not begun their qualification campaign well, in the 12 months between their 2010 African Cup of Nations victory and the Egyptian revolution, they were boasting an average of 2 points per match including five straight wins in January 2011. This is even discounting their January 2010 ACN success, which featured 7 straight wins against high quality opposition, and would raise their points per match to a phenomenal 2.39. Their evident fall from grace has been staggering.

Since January 25 2011, Egypt have picked up one solitary win and one draw from five matches, with defeats to South Africa and Sierra Leone ensuring they finished bottom of their qualification group.

The Egyptian revolution was notable for the unity of the population in throwing off the power of President Mubarak. Indeed there was apparent cooperation in protest organisation between the fans of the rival Egyptian teams Al-Ahly and Zamalek, with the latter long regarded as a pro-government club during the Mubarak era. The only public backing to the regime came from a few club managers and Egypt’s national coach Hassan Shehata rather than fans or players.

While the other North African nations move towards new democratic regimes or have gained significant concessions from government as a result of their protests, the future for Egypt appears more convoluted and strained, demonstrated by recent protests against the interim military rulers. The ensuing instability of the post-Mubarak Egyptian nation has been echoed by poor performance on the football field.

This however, is not the general trend. Morocco, Algeria, Sudan and Tunisia have witnessed significant performance improvements since the Arab Spring, while Libya has maintained its strength overall, but has improved dramatically in competitive qualification matches.

“This is for all Libyans, for our revolution”.

So said 39-year old goalkeeper Samir Aboud upon Libya’s astonishing qualification for the 2012 African Cup of Nations, after a draw against Zambia put them though as a best runner-up.

Libyans turn out in droves to watch their side play Mozambique in September. Source: Magharebia

 Despite a recent poor run of friendly results, the Libyans are unbeaten in competitive matches since the revolution against Col. Muammar Gaddafi, notching up two wins and two draws to round off a qualification campaign that saw them go unbeaten and concede only one goal.

For a team that was significantly affected by an ongoing civil war, it was an astonishing achievement. Playing on neutral territory with a new flag, strip and anthem, coach Marcos Paquetá summed the mood up by stating the team was now "not only playing for football success but for a new government and a new country”. Even more so when you consider Col Gaddafi's son, Saadi, ran the Libyan Football Federation and was once captain of the national team. The team had been a symbol of the regime.

It has certainly not been smooth sailing. Former star playmaker Tariq Ibrahim al-Tayib was notably absent from recent matches, following pro-Gaddafi outbursts including reference to dead rebels as dogs and rats. During the conflict there were reports of 17 figures from Libyan football, including four who claimed to be members of the national side, turning up in a rebel-held town and announcing themselves as opponents of the regime.

One of them, Adel bin Issa, the coach of Tripoli’s top club al-Ahly where Saadi Gaddafi used to play, announced he had come “to send a message that Libya should be unified and free”, and he hoped “to wake up one morning to find that Gaddafi is no longer there.”

The new Libyan side, made up from players from all parts of Libya, has the potential to become a powerful new unifying force post-revolution. Their performances thus far and qualification for the African Cup of Nations may represent a good focus for new beginnings as the new nation moves into 2012.

The statistics show that Tunisia, Morocco, Sudan and Algeria have all experienced far better results in 2011 since the beginning of their respective protests or in the case of Tunisia, regime change, as compared to the 12 months preceding the Arab Spring.

Algeria, where protests led to the lifting of a 19-year old state of emergency, had a forgettable 2010, losing 8 matches and achieving an average of 0.86 points per match. Yet in 2011 Algeria won three of five matches and ended qualification on a high, only losing out to Morocco.

Even Morocco, which experienced smaller protests but significant political concessions, saw their performances improve from 1.25 points per match in 2010 to 1.75 in 2011 and finish top of their qualification group.

Kenya v Sudan. Source: Advocacy Project

Sudan, in a year when the country has experienced protest, violence and division with the breakaway of South Sudan, also qualified as a best runner-up behind Ghana in their ACN qualification group. Having played a large number of matches this year, a win ratio of 53% and a points per match of 1.79 is a huge improvement on 2010’s 25% win ratio and 1.13 points per match.

Finally Tunisia, the standout model of the Arab transition to democracy, also saw an improvement in performance from 1.27 points per match in 2010 to 1.75 in 2011 and a comfortable qualification behind Botswana.

"The events at home really stimulated our team and we believe that the players felt greatly liberated after what happened," (Esperance coach Nabil Maaloul)

While the Tunisian national team were qualifying for international competition, leading Tunisian side Esperance were winning the African Champions League. Players were keen to invoke synergies between revolution and victory on the pitch, with defender Khalil Chammam stating: "One positive thing from the revolution was that, although we suffered a lot, those changes and the suffering made us stronger -mentally and physically."

As in Egypt and Libya, Tunisian football suffered direct interference politicians before the revolutions. It was no surprise that in all three cases; national leagues were shut down upon the breakout of protests against the regimes. The majority of Libya's squad was home-based, where league football was suspended in March, while six others play in neighbouring Tunisia, where the league has only recently resumed. It is impossible to separate the fate of national footballers from politics when the impact is so great.

The paths of the North African national sides have not been universally similar. Instead they have in fact tended to replicate the upheavals themselves. Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria have seen liberalising efforts or regime change. It could be argued a new sense of liberalisation and increased freedoms has been epitomised in the successes of these national teams. Certainly in the case of Libya and Tunisia it appears that the political changes have sparked a new found unity, inspiration and rallying call, factors that have seeped through to the national football sides.

Whilst the link may be casual and the statistics do not delve any deeper than top-line numbers, the North African national football teams seem to be reflecting the mood and progress of Arab Spring and their successes are symbolic of energised nations realising their potential. Only in Egypt has the national side not been a flag bearer for success. Rather than being freed from shackles, a powerful footballing nation appears to be more confused and unstable than it was prior to the revolution. In football as in politics, confusion can breed downfall.

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Rory McIlroy deserving of SPOTY crown

22-year old World No.2 should beat the likes of Mo Farah and Mark Cavendish to the BBC award following a remarkable year for British golf

With the BBC Sports Personality of the Year to be announced on Thursday 22^nd December, the bookie’s favourite is Mark Cavendish, following his extraordinary performances in the Tour de France and becoming Britain's first male world road race champion since 1965. Despite this and the merits of all the nominated sportsmen, the award should go to Rory McIlroy.

It was completely unjust that the ten-man shortlist was literally ten men without any female representation. At the very least Andy Murray and Amir Khan will surely have more successful years to come when they reach the top of their sports, which would be in the form of Murray finally winning a Grand Slam and Khan not only winning back his now-relinquished light-welterweight world titles, but also stepping up to welterweight to defeat Floyd Mayweather. Keri-Anne Payne and Rebecca Adlington both had better 2011s and deserved recognition. Chrissie Wellington is a phenomenon, but would Alistair Brownlee then begin to have a similar case for inclusion?

Cavendish has taken British cycling to new levels. Source: Ride On

Nevertheless, the other eight candidates all warrant serious consideration. Andrew Strauss presided over an England Test side that humbled the Australians on their own turf in The Ashes for the first time in 24 years, before setting about the ruthless 4-0 dismantling of India, the previous occupiers of the world no.1 spot which now belongs to England. Alastair Cook was the undoubted star of the victory over the Australians, although if one was being overly cynical it could be suggested that he set about punishing a toothless Australia attack on flat pitches and was far less dominant against Sri Lanka and India. If you combined Cook’s runs with Strauss’s captaincy, you would have a strong case for a winner.

Cavendish has had an exceptional 2011, and is doing more than any other cyclist to make his sport appeal to the mainstream sporting public. Cycling has tended to disappear from view in non-Olympic years, but his performances in the Tour de France and world road race have captured the limelight. The only element that counts against him is the fact that he generally had to rely upon his selfless HTC teammates to ensure that he was in a position for success. It is often forgotten that cycling is far from an individual sport.

The athletes Mo Farah and Dai Greene are both World champions. Greene now holds titles at Commonwealth, European and World level, but few would rank him above Farah for his achievements, incredible as they are. Farah won the first long distance gold for a British male at a major global championship in an event long dominated by African competitors. This speaks for itself and puts him in strong contention for the award.

Farah's performances have been taken up a level in 2011. Source: Paul Foot

However, 2011 has been the year of British golf. Luke Donald, Rory McIlroy and Lee Westwood comprise the top three of the Official World Rankings, with Donald topping the money lists on both sides of the Atlantic after clinching the Race to Dubai last weekend, reflecting his consistency at the top of the game. Although Graeme McDowell got the ball rolling in 2010, McIlroy’s triumph at the U.S. Open and Darren Clarke’s fairytale victory at The Open at Royal St. George’s were truly momentous achievements. Some fantastic players never win one. Clarke’s maiden Major title and his emotional journey have unsurprisingly put him as the second favourite behind Cavendish for the crown.

Yet McIlroy has the edge for a number of reasons. His U.S. Open victory at the Congressional was by an astonishing 8 shots, breaking a host of scoring records in the process. Since 1931, only Tiger Woods has been a younger Major Champion, which is illustrious company. He has risen to no.2 in the World Rankings and is fast catching Luke Donald following breathtaking victories in Shanghai and Hong Kong. A late season charge for the Race to Dubai came up short, but a suspected case of dengue fever cannot have helped. All this at the age of 22.

McIlroy's 2011 included a U.S. Open victory and a rise to World No.2. Source: edbalaun

Beyond the incredible performances, he achieved all this despite his meltdown during the final round of the Masters in April. Standing on the 10^th tee of the final round, he was one shot clear and there was all to play for, but a woeful drive and triple-bogey seven marked the beginning of a nightmare close to his round that was agonising to watch. For some players the recovery from experiences such as that can be long and painful. Instead McIlroy gave an incredibly mature and sensible press conference and set about winning his very next Major. It says a lot about his personality and marks McIlroy out as a true champion.

Throw in a high-profile relationship with Caroline Wozniacki and it has been quite a 2011 for Rory McIlroy. There is no doubt that he would be a worthy winner of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year for his own outstanding achievements, the manner in which he has bounced back from a nightmare beginning to 2011 and as an ambassador for the supreme health of British golf. The outlook for 2012, where he should play a prominent role in the defence of the Ryder Cup in Chicago and challenge for more Major titles, looks promising.

1^st Rory McIlroy

2^nd Mo Farah

3^rd Mark Cavendish

Resilience of Hargreaves a source of inspiration

Owen Hargreaves' second start of the season for Manchester City, against Arsenal on Tuesday evening, produced a performance that was no more than workmanlike. It certainly did not yield anything like the stunning strike earlier this season against Birmingham in the Carling Cup that crowned his return to top-level football after three injury-plagued seasons. However one could argue the quality of his performances mattered little.

Whilst the opportunity to play for Manchester City is one hardly any footballers would turn down, few footballers have been through the horrendous injuries and presumable self-doubt Hargreaves has experienced since he first broke a leg in 2006.

Like his English contemporaries Ledley King and Jonathan Woodgate, Hargreaves deserves admiration for even stepping back on to the pitch. Released by Manchester United (who seemingly saw little chance of a return to his best form) and subsequently written off by the press and much of the public, few would have begrudged him an early retirement or resuming his career at a lower standard of football.

Hargreaves in action for former club Manchester United. Source: Super MF

Having won two Champions Leagues, four Bundesligas and a Premier League title, played for two of the greatest clubs in world football and earning 42 England caps in the process, he would have been fondly remembered as a world-class midfielder denied a full career by an injury curse. With no shortage of cash and plenty of honours, an early retirement might have brought him to coaching badges, punditry and plenty of golf.

Yet Hargreaves has thrown the script out of the window. The resilience he has shown in proving his fitness, taking the original and very public path of posting YouTube training videos, and then throwing himself into the pressure cauldron of Manchester City (where he is sure to see more regular action in the second half of the season) shows both character and courage. No club will see its players put under the media spotlight as much in the coming years as Manchester City, as they attempt to rise to European greatness. Not the easiest route back from the best part of four seasons of the last five wrecked by injuries.

Hargreaves YouTube videos were bold, but paid off. 

While suffering years of injuries, particularly those involving knees and tendonitis, Hargreaves must have continually questioned his body’s ability to stand up to top level football and the impact these or any future injuries could have later in life. One fears for the long-term damage done to the likes of Hargreaves or Ledley King, who cannot even train in between matches. Will they have any regrets in 15 years’ time?

Having incurred three years of chronic knee pain myself, deciding to stop playing competitive football, even at my lowly level, has been a tough process. Mentally I lost the confidence to play as I dwelled on my injury.  I no longer trust my body to come through the rigours of tackling and am reluctant to compromise my future health and mobility. And my injuries were certainly not on the scale of Hargreaves, King or Woodgate. These players have had plenty of time to reflect on the damage these injuries have had on their bodies, yet fight to resume their careers, albeit with the assistance of the best medical staff around.

Ledley King has also bounced back this season following injury nightmares. Source: TottenhamFan

Without his injury nightmares, one wonders how many more England caps Hargreaves could have won. He seems to be the piece of the England puzzle we have been missing for so long, industrious in defence and possessing quality dead ball skills and quality distribution (although the emergence of Scott Parker into Capello’s plans in the past 12 months may have partly provided a solution).

Were Owen Hargreaves to get back into England squad it would be a borderline miracle. He would surely settle for 10 appearances this season and to progress from there. I root for him and all other players suffering chronic or major injury who strive to return to the field of play. There is the sense that these are the footballers who no longer desire financial rewards, but to continue performing a job they not only love, but is also all they know.

My admiration is not just for Hargreaves’ footballing ability, but his desire to resume playing at the top level, despite the knowledge his body might break down again and the potential implications for his health later down the line. 

Capello takes a leaf out of Mourinho’s book

The anti-football of Mourinho and Capello can reap rewards, but more is needed for England to be contenders for EURO 2012

On the face of it, it was not overly surprising. The 7^th best team in the world, England, beat the best team in the world, Spain, 1-0 at home in a friendly international. Bearing in mind that Spain also lost friendlies to Italy, Portugal and Argentina since they won the World Cup last summer, it certainly is not a result that will cause too many ripples in world football.

It was the manner of victory that was far more interesting. Some commentators have suggested the victory paid homage to Capello’s ultra-defensive catenaccio ways so successfully employed in the 1990s with Milan, with a solid back four and protection from deep lying and combative midfielders frustrating Spain. Along with much of the Spanish team, Cesc Fabregas labelled England’s gameplan as “negative tactics”, lambasting them for “lacking in talent” and setting up to defend for nearly the entire 90 minutes.

However, the whole scenario has parallels with far more recent events. Given the core of players who make both Spain and Barcelona tick and the similarities in style, to all intents and purposes it is the Barcelona influence (supplemented by the best of Real Madrid) that has made Spain both European and World champions. And the only man who has been able to find the methods to challenge the Barcelona way in the past few seasons has been a long time friend of the English, Jose Mourinho. Two series of fixtures in particular spring to mind.

Mourinho's anti-football has regularly riled Barcelona. Source: prismatico

April 2010 witnessed a Champions League semi-final between Mourinho’s Internazionale and Barcelona. The first leg demonstrated a Mourinho masterclass of defensive pressing and swift counter attack as Inter won 3-1. The 2^nd leg, despite Inter losing 1-0, was in truth even more impressive. Down to 10 men for over an hour, Inter soaked up everything Barcelona could throw at them. The statistics were bewildering. Inter managed just 67 passes as opposed to Barca’s 548 and over 80% possession. There were even charges (though denied by Mourinho) that Inter were happy to give the ball to Barcelona so as to not disrupt their own defensive shape.

Fast-forward a year to the latter end of last season. Mourinho’s Real Madrid held Barcelona to a 1-1 draw in La Liga followed swiftly by a 1-0 victory in extra time over their archrivals in the Copa del Rey. In both these matches, Mourinho operated with a ‘trivote’ system, sacrificing an attacking player in favour of a defensive midfielder.

Mourinho used Pepe, a natural central defender, as a midfield enforcer alongside Xabi Alonso and Sami Khedira, all focusing on defensive tasks and keeping Barcelona largely at bay. The use of Phil Jones in a side also containing James Milner, Frank Lampard and the imperious Scott Parker on Saturday bore considerable resemblance to this strategy.

Parker clashes with the Spanish midfield. Source: nrssmith

Over these two fixtures, Real Madrid registered a mere 22% possession and 65% pass success as opposed to Barca’s 78% possession and 90% pass success. Yet it reaped dividends for Mourinho – and almost continued to work in the Champions League semi-final between the clubs until Madrid were reduced to 10 men and Messi ran riot.

To anyone who watched England soak up the Spanish possession (71%) and pressure continuously on Saturday evening, this may make familiar reading. This is not to suggest this is the way football should be played all the time. It is definitely not what England should look to repeat too often. And it certainly will not work every time it is tried. But under the right circumstances the methods employed by Capello on Saturday can be very effective.

Ultimately the most important question is whether England can be contenders at EURO 2012. Much has been made of England’s ongoing attempts to emulate the Spanish style, assurance on the ball and technique with the next generation of players. Nevertheless to be contenders in the short term, England must not necessarily look to Spain. The gulf in class is too great at present. In fact we should look to Germany for inspiration.

Germany in South Africa - showing England the way forward. Source: liznn7

England should build on the defensive prowess and determination that they have long been renowned for and personified by Scott Parker against Spain. The challenge for England is to add the power, pace and counter-attacking devastation of the type displayed by Germany at the last World Cup to a steely defence. If Bent and Walcott are not the answer, then the likes of Sturridge, Welbeck, Adam Johnson, Ashley Young and Aaron Lennon could well have parts to play in the absence of Wayne Rooney and the increasingly injury plagued Steven Gerrard and Jack Wilshere. If Capello manages to blend the right personnel before EURO 2012, England might be able to compete with the top nations next summer.

England are number one, but the real test is ahead

Tough battles on the Subcontinent and with the South Africans will be the true measure of this England side

English cricket is scaling dizzy heights. The England cricket team are now officially ranked the best side in the world. They are currently demolishing the previous holders of that position, India, in a manner so ruthless and comprehensive that it is scarcely believable to an English media and public unaccustomed to watching such scintillating performances.

Listening to post match interviews following the 3^rd Test at Edgbaston, the England players were at their media-trained best, although the joy was evident. However, it was Kevin Pietersen who offered the most revealing insight, when he implied that England must learn the lessons from the 2005 Ashes and not allow this summer to be a high watermark before a fall.

The England team cannot afford to, nor are they likely to, get caught up in the hype, which will inevitably go into overdrive. To justify claims of being “the best England side ever”, or to be mentioned in the same sentence as the West Indians of the 1980s or the Australians of the Taylor/Waugh/Ponting eras, this England side must maintain their current dominance and form for at least the next 18 months. They must beat Sri Lanka and India in the Subcontinent and overcome the mighty South Africans at home, all significant tasks confronting them.

Strauss is still a long way off emulating Ponting. Source: pj_in_oz

It would be much easier to assess where exactly this England side rates at the present time if Sehwag, Gambhir, Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan had all been fit for the entirety of this series. Regardless of the problems of the Indian side, the England bowling displays have been magnificent, the fielding generally top class. Borderline faultless. Nevertheless some concerns still remain with the batting, particularly against quality seam bowling.

It seems to have been quickly forgotten that during two of their first three innings this series, England had collapsed to 62-5 and 124-8 in the face of good seam bowling from Khan, Kumar and Sharma, before Broad and Prior came to our rescue. Cook, Strauss and Morgan were all struggling and not many would have been predicting a 4-0 series whitewash.

While you could argue that the fact we won from these positions shows the best qualities of this side, it is hardly a case of complete domination. In fact, it should raise concerns about how we fare when South Africa and their attack of Morkel, Steyn, Kallis, Parnell and Tsotsobe arrive here next summer. Let us not forget that the only series we have not won in the past nine was in South Africa. And we escaped with a 1-1 draw only when Graham Onions twice held off the South African pace attack with the South Africans requiring only one more English wicket for victory. Anyone remember Friedel de Wet in Centurion?

 The last time the South Africans toured in 2008. Source captainsticky

This is not to advocate any changes, far from it. England must stick with their trusted players and formula for success. It is only to serve warning that everything might not be so rosy against Pakistan or South Africa in the coming 12 months.

To highlight some key examples. Alastair Cook, England’s most prolific batsman of the past year and now 3^rd in the ICC Rankings, still has some problems in home Tests when the ball is swinging, as exhibited against Pakistan last summer and against India in the first two Tests. It seems bizarre to say this in the aftermath of a wonderful 294, but it comes as no surprise that Cook averages 55 away from home in Test cricket as opposed to ‘only’ 45 in English conditions. The South Africans may well see Cook and Strauss as presenting good opportunities to strike early.

Eoin Morgan, a class act against spin and when the ball is more than 30 overs old, will have a testing 12 months ahead of him. He has scored well in less pressurised periods (a similar charge to the one Ian Bell faced for a number of years), but is not as prolific against the new ball, either after a spate of early wickets or at the 80 over replacement mark, as was witnessed by two ducks and Kumar dismissing him with his second ball after a new ball was taken at Trent Bridge. Andy Flower would no doubt like to see a big innings under pressure when England are 30-4.

England have a testing 12 months ahead. Source gareth1953

Although these seem minor issues, there is just a small sense that the wonderful bowling and fielding performances have masked over the fact that the English batting has been under pressure at key points. Pakistan will be a big test this winter (I can see a number of low scoring matches, with the ball dominating), as will playing in the tough conditions of Sri Lanka and India (and how we fare at accommodating a second spinner).

Yet it is South Africa next summer that should mark the time at which we are either confirmed as the best cricket side of a generation and worthy of comparison with great sides in history, or a side that reached its high point during 2010-11.

An Ode to MS Dhoni

The Indian captain has shown himself to be a great sporting figurehead for cricket and world sport

While England skittled India for a mere 158 at Trent Bridge to inflict a second huge defeat on their rivals in a compelling series, there was one particularly sad note when Indian captain MS Dhoni was trapped lbw first-ball not offering a shot to Tim Bresnan.

While it was magnificent to see the England bowling machine ruthlessly demolish the Indian batting line-up, no many would have begrudged Sachin Tendulkar hauling his side partially back into the contest with a 100^th Test century. But even more so, the vast majority of cricket fans would have been happy to see MS Dhoni put up significant resistance and contribute to a more respectable scoreline than the 319 run defeat, which was especially astonishing given India were dominating the Test match for much of the first two days.

24 hours prior to his unfortunate dismissal, Dhoni had of course made the ultimate sporting gesture to reprieve Ian Bell when he had been run out as a result of a genuine mistake, with Bell believing a ball to have gone for four and the tea interval to have begun.

For all the wonderful cricketing performances from Bell, Broad, Bresnan and Dravid during the match, the Test match will forever be synonymous with Dhoni and the Indian team’s noble decision to re-instate Ian Bell to continue his innings, a sign of incredible sportsmanship which serves as an example to cricketers around the world and to other sports.

MS Dhoni showed great sporting qualities. Source: Pulkitsinha

There has been plenty of debate about the rights and wrongs of the original dismissal and the decision to bring Bell back to the crease. What cannot be denied is that it highlights Dhoni as a character almost without equal in modern sport.

One would struggle to name an international sportsman with more intense pressure placed upon him than by one billion fervent Indian cricket fans desperate for continual success as well as the high demands of the BCCI. The dismissal of Bell could have brought India right back into the match in a series that was fast slipping out of reach, yet it could have poisoned relations between the sides for the rest of the series and beyond.

Stripped of key figures Zaheer Khan and opening pair Gambhir and Sehwag, there must have been an element of temptation to uphold the dismissal of Bell and find a way back into the series. Yet it is a tribute to the man that sportsmanship was placed above success at all costs.

Throughout the rollercoaster of the past 6 months, from a victorious World Cup campaign to the trials and tribulations the Indian team has faced over here, as well as question marks over his own captaincy skills and form with bat and gloves, Dhoni has remained calm, modest, articulate and honest about his team’s abilities and failings.

Ian Bell. Centre of the controversy. Source: gareth1953

His entire demeanour throughout the Bell episode was fantastic, composed and measured. The sporting gesture was the correct thing to do and will be entrenched on his permanent record as the type of captain he was and the way he wished to see the game played.

There is a frequent charge against modern sport, most notably football but extending to most major sports, that an element of sportsmanship has been lost in the last few decades. Under attack from corporate interests, high financial stakes and the thirst for success at all costs, there has been a rise in unsporting practices, from diving and harassing referees to gouging, drug-taking and numerous match-fixing probes. This is not to suggest that they did not previously exist, but that they have become more prevalent.

MS Dhoni exhibited a genuine example of proper sporting conduct, rivalling Paolo di Canio’s catching of a football to ensure attention was paid to an injured goalkeeper during a West Ham v Everton match in 2000 or Andy Roddick’s arguing for his opponent’s serve to be called ‘in’, which ultimately cost him a match, in 2005.

Roddick sacrificed victory for sportsmanship against Verdasco. Source: mirsasha

Looking at cricket more specifically, two of the greatest cricketers of the past 20 years come to mind. Adam Gilchrist and Jacques Kallis, both legends in their own right, have earned plaudits for their sporting behaviour, whether that is ‘walking’ when they believe they are out or trusting opponents’ claims to have taken a clean catch.

The postscript to this the Second Test of England v India in 2011 will always centre on the conduct of MS Dhoni. He has added his name to the ranks of honourable sportsmen for all time.

Corinthians bid for Tevez a watershed moment for world football

The signal that a Brazilian football team could compete with European giants is reflective of a wider movement in world sport

On the 20^th July 2011 Brazilian football side Corinthians withdrew their bid of £40m for Manchester City and Argentina star Carlos Tevez, citing the imminent closure of the Brazilian transfer window.  But the fact that the transfer did not go through is immaterial. The statement it has sent out to the footballing world is enough. It could be looked back on as a defining moment in world football.

The Tevez transfer saga is not an ordinary one, and there are numerous factors that might suggest a unique case. On the Tevez side, frequent claims of homesickness are hard to ignore, as is his mercenary past (from his astonishing arrival at West Ham to his claims to dislike Manchester before turning up at Manchester City).

On the Brazilian side, Corinthians were attempting to bankroll the transfer by funds from a new Brazilian TV deal and Tevez is a former popular player for the club. This is before we even mention Kia Joorabchian, his agent and a man with historic business links to Corinthians through Media Sports Investments, who took over the club in 2004.

Tevez in action for Manchester City. Source: Alfonso Jimenez

However, the fact that Corinthians even appear able to compete is a gesture impossible to ignore.  It marks the first time a Brazilian team has bid a huge figure for a global superstar and come seriously close to landing him (and still may do in January).

There is already a noticeable movement in Brazil of former stars (Carlos Alberto, Mancini) returning home early after struggling to adapt in Europe, established players (Fred, Luis Fabiano) electing to come back in their prime or veterans (Deco, Ronaldo, Gilberto Silva, Belletti) choosing to see out careers in native lands rather than chasing riches in Europe’s lesser leagues, the Middle East or North America.

But the Tevez transfer bid raises many more questions about the future of world football. In 15 years time will we have a situation where the Brazilian top league (Brasileirão) is competing with the best European leagues? Will the Tevez saga be viewed as the watershed moment?

Increased Brazilian economic stability and strength and the infrastructure created by the 2014 FIFA World Cup will undoubtedly create conditions ripe for growth for the Brasileirão. When this is coupled with Brazilian clubs gradually becoming wise to their huge economic potential in negotiating larger TV deals, improving their structures and public relations, and attracting sponsors who will pay superstar wages, it will undoubtedly lead to Brazilian clubs retaining their best players for longer before they leave for Europe.

Estadio do Pacaembu. Will Tevez ultimately return? Source: Rodrigo Soldon

Although Brazil will undoubtedly remain the biggest exporter of players around the world, what is already happening is that the Brazilian league is becoming the hub for the best South American players and an established stepping-stone to Europe, overtaking the struggling Argentinean league in the process. Indeed some of the best Argentineans have found their way to Brazil in the last few years - Tevez himself of course, as well as Alejandro Martinuccio and Dario Conca (more to follow on that name).

Perhaps in an extended version of this, the Brasileirão improves to the extent that far less players need to go to Europe and some Europeans begin to be attracted to South America?

This argument is not just confined to Brazil, nor it is it limited to football.

Another country making similar leaps forward is Russia, to the extent that it could now claim to be Europe’s 6^th best league ahead of Netherlands, Portugal and Turkey. Russia is awash with money and making big signings (Bruno Alves arrived at Zenit St Petersburg for 22m Euros last summer), making the Russian league second only to the English Premier League in financial losses.

Zenit v Bayern Munich in 2008, the year they won the Europa League. Source: Probek

How long before a prized European asset is whisked away to Zenit or Rubin Kazan as a marquee signing? Zenit and CSKA Moscow have both won the Europa League in recent seasons. How long until a Russian side is challenging for the Champions League? And let us not forget the new player on the scene, Anzhi Makhachkala, one the clubs linked with bidding for Tevez last month and who have recently embarked on a dramatic spending spree, earning them the nickname 'The Manchester City of Russia'.

Which brings us to China. Dario Conca is perhaps not a name familiar to too many European football fans. The Argentine had three impressive seasons with Fluminese in Brazil before jetting off to Chinese Super League club Guangzhou Evergrande this summer to earn an annual salary of $10.4m. This puts him comfortably in the top ten best-paid footballers in world football. Conca is just one standout example of a wider trend.

Brazil, Russia and China, the new powerhouses of world football and possibly beyond? Brazil and Russia have booming and increasingly stable economies, rich sporting history (particularly in football) and they both will host World Cups (2014, 2018) and Olympics (Rio, Sochi) by the end of the decade. With these tournaments comes wholesale investment in sports clubs, infrastructure, TV deals and in the industry as a whole. China has already demonstrated they are ready to compete with the West in the sporting sphere.

Although the Carlos Tevez deal has many different contributing factors, it hints at the coming of this new world footballing order, the huge potential for the Brazilian league and the emergence of Brazil as a major player on to the world sporting scene. Russia and China are on the same path and there are sure to be other developing nations who follow their lead.

With thanks to Sean Williams, roving reporter in Brazil, for his insights

To see The Economist’s take on things read http://www.economist.com/node/18989277

AV and the Great Olympic Ticket Debate

The endless debate and general negativity surrounding the Olympic ticketing process for London 2012 has also been marked by a curious lack of credible alternatives being put forward.

At the outset I must reveal that I was fortunate enough to receive Olympic tickets for Hockey, Handball, Football and Beach Volleyball (14 tickets in all) from the opening ballot. Very lucky yes, but I would also claim I played the system fairly well with my initial choices.

It is also worth pointing the overall success of the initial sale, with 23 sports sold out a year in advance. To quote the former IOC Director Michael Payne, “In the 115-year history of the Games, there has not been such a successful Olympic ticket programme” with a “democratic ticket distribution process…that will become a model for future Games.”

Compare this to the swathes of empty seats in Athens 20004, the Beijing 2008 ticket queues and questionable distribution process, or even Sydney 2000, which sold 92% of tickets.

Worse still, we might even look at the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup (the ICC are currently investigating how thousands of World Cup tickets allegedly ended up on the black market or in the hands of VIPs, police or politicians) or the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which just months before the tournament had only sold 2.1m of 2.9m tickets, and 60,000 of 308,000 hospitality packages.

2011 ICC Cricket World Cup fans

Nevertheless, amidst the furore and attempts by LOCOG to ensure as many people get a chance in the second and third round of London 2012 ticket sales, it is worth asking; could there have been a better way? 

The answer may lie with 2011’s second most divisive process, the Alternative Vote (AV), the proposed change to the UK voting system that was so comprehensively crushed earlier this year. Or at least a version of it - I can hear electoral experts finding many flaws in my definition.

AV involves choosing your candidates in order of preference. AV when applied to the Olympic ticketing process could have seen the public choose their events by priority order.

 AV champion. Source: Liberal Democrats

An explanation: Apply for your Olympics tickets in rank order. The ballots for everyone’s first choice are held. Anyone who is unsuccessful is moved down into their second choice tickets ballot. And so on to third, fourth, fifth choice…

For example, you may have chosen four tickets to the 100m Final Athletics session as your first choice (along with 1m other people). If unsuccessful in this ballot (likely), you would drop down to the ballot for your second choice, four tickets to the Beach Volleyball. If you were unlucky enough to miss out on this (also very popular) sport, your third choice of the Basketball may have come up trumps. Otherwise, worst-case scenario, your fourth and fifth choices of Handball and Football are for you.

The main advantage of this system is that, rather than a random, scattergun approach, more people would actually have ended up with the tickets they really wanted. I am sure there are Swimming or Equestrian enthusiasts exasperated with a system that may have provided them with Gymnastics, Archery or Volleyball tickets, when in fact just one session at the Aquatic Centre or Greenwich Park would have sufficed.

Under the AV system, a good proportion of people would have got his or her first or second choice tickets (excepting those seeking ridiculously oversubscribed top level Athletics, Cycling and Swimming sessions).

 Will you be there? Source: Gerry Balding

Clearly plenty of people may still have missed out on their top choices, but by working down through their preferences would have ended up with at least some tickets. And clearly if the demand is not strong in certain sports, you could end up with plenty of tickets as you would be placed in every ballot you applied for until all the tickets are sold.

The chief problem with the process was the message of ‘Plan Your Games’ that the public was given by LOCOG, who probably never quite envisaged the surge of demand that took place. By encouraging people to aim high, to give them nothing in return was bound to cause some ill feeling.

If proof is required for the ability of my system to have worked, it was the numbers being provided by LOCOG that sparked off my thinking.

Around 6m tickets were available, 1.8m people applied. My mathematics suggests that to be 3-4 tickets per person. And often to that person’s first or second choice sport. Not too many would have complained.

Class is permanent. Form is fickle. A cricketing tale.

England must stick with their under-performing Test stars Broad, KP and Strauss

Friday 20^th August 2010. England v Pakistan. The third day of the Third test at The Oval. Alastair Cook is on 23 and playing for his England Test place. Wahab Riaz runs in and finds the edge as Cook plays a terribly unconvincing shot. 

Alastair Cook is caught at 2^nd slip and trudges off the field following another failure.

Successive scores of 8, 12, 17, 4, 6 and 23 finally convince the England selectors to make a change with only one more Test before the Ashes squad selection. Cook is dropped and not included in the squad to Australia. In his absence Jonathan Trott moves up to open, with Eoin Morgan brought into the side. In the event, England lose the First Test of the Ashes in Brisbane, falling 221 runs behind after the first innings and despite a valiant effort, are eventually beaten by 6 wickets. Australia ultimately retains The Ashes with a 3-1 victory.

Except this is not how events transpired. Cook’s loose cut outside his off-stump to Riaz dissected the slip cordon at easily catchable height with 2^nd and 3^rd slip leaving it for one another. I recall this moment very clearly as commentator Ramiz Raja wryly observed, "Shouting 'yours' is really not much use in the slips”. But more importantly, there was a real sense that something important might just have happened.

Arguably this was the most important ball in world cricket in 2010. Cook went on to score 110.

Image: cormac70

The rest is history. Cook went to Australia and produced one of the finest series displays of batting in history. He scored 235 not out in the First Test and dominated the Australian bowling attack from the outset, doing more than anyone else to secure a famous Ashes victory with an astonishing 766 runs and a world record time batting in a five Test series, 2,171 minutes (36 hours).

This immediately raises plenty of questions on form, class, belief in ability and confidence, and their relative importance in all team sport, not just cricket. If ‘form’ can be re-discovered as a result of a moment of lucky escape, should we not place more faith in long-term class? If confidence can be restored on the basis of one display, should we not place more faith in constant selection and loyalty?

Indeed, what is form? There is an argument to suggest, “form does not exist”. A player is either good or bad, form is fickle and one moment can change an entire notion of a player being in form. Perhaps this is too far, though I would advocate that maintaining confidence and technique are more important factors to focus on rather than any idea of ‘form’, especially for a player with the undoubted ability to have already reached the top level.

Cook is now relentlessly setting about breaking English cricket records. 67^th consecutive Test, a record. Youngest Englishman to 5,000 runs. Four centuries away from England’s record centurion-makers.

 Resurrection. Image: stuandgravy

The esteem with which our new ODI captain is held in by the England fans, media and selectors is a far cry from 12 months ago. Before his career-saving Pakistan century, the Daily Telegraph was running polls entitled “Can England afford to pick Alastair Cook for the Ashes tour?” The Evening Standard asserted that “If Alastair Cook fails one more time, then selectors must drop him” and message boards were awash with fans calling for Cook’s head.

Surely the example of Cook’s resurrection is a lesson to be learnt. Yet a similar level of clamour for dropping an England player has recently surfaced with Kevin Pietersen and the spotlight is currently fixed firmly on Stuart Broad and even more worryingly on Andrew Strauss. All are under pressure to justify their places in the England Test side.

Yes, these players have been slightly out of form, but not to the extent Cook was in 2010, and certainly not enough to warrant being discarded. Key to the success of this England team has been the consistency of selection and fostering of a strong team ethic.

Lessons should not only be learnt from the Cook case but also from comparison with our vanquished Australian opponents.

Australia chopped and changed through 17 players during The Ashes, particularly unsettling their bowling attack. Doherty, Beer, Smith, Harris, Bollinger, Johnson, Siddle, Hilfenhaus – only Siddle was an ever-present and it showed. England on the other hand, made only one non-enforced change, when Bresnan came in for Finn prior to the 4^th Test.

 Australia in trouble. Image: piesgardiner

It has always struck me as a universal truth that the best teams in sport, and particularly cricket, are those who keep faith with their chosen men and build a winning side with a strong team mentality. 

Continuity, a winning mentality and a strong unit breeds success. The Australian cricket team of the 1990s and early 2000s was characterised by an almost unshakeable faith that an under-pressure player would come good. Players should only be dropped when performances and technique are dire or a young pretender is making strides impossible to ignore. Too often media and fans leap on to the next out-of-form target for criticism overly hastily.

Class is permanent and worth persevering with, as Alastair Cook demonstrated. The England cricketers deserve support for the entire summer series with India and the chance to finish off a spectacular 12 months.