That
4-0 thrashing still hurts!Yes I’m referring to the Germany team wining the UEFA Under 21 Football Championship on Monday 29th June
Congratulations to Germany, who outclassed England - they looked stodgy, stiff and simply not with it, compared the flexible, reliable and determined Germans.
Their player Sandro Wagner gave a brilliant display that night – definitely a man to keep an eye on when he graduates to full maturity.
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Although it’s already been said in many ways, I am genuinely sorry about the death of Michael Jackson.
To die so young – at 50, MJ certainly wasn’t an old man – is hurtful enough.
But to pass away when he was on the cusp of getting out of debt and getting back on stage, his second home, with sell-out shows at the O2 in London (he probably would of issued more dates, such was the demand) is just as sad.
I’ve seen the pictures of him practising, with the words THIS IS IT behind him.
So I was understandably annoyed to see that one UK based so-called ethnic magazine decided to stick with its game plan of stating how ‘wonderful’ it will be to see MJ performing in London again this month and featured an unknown artist on the front of its magazine.
This is a case of poor editorial and management decision-making, especially since the passing of the King of Pop was announced in good time for this publication to of made appropriate changes for this month’s edition.
No doubt they will come up with a ‘tribute’ edition of MJ for next month – i.e. a good 31 days too late.
A strong word of advice to them and any other ethnic publication: there is no point in playing the race card, especially against other black performers or politicians refusing to speak to you, if you can’t be bothered to get your own act together!
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It seems that the Real Madrid revolution is set to continue, with the purchase of French striker Karim Benzema from the team Lyon for a fee believed to be £30 million.
After the purchase of Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo, it shouldn’t be of any surprise Real would make a play for this promising forward.
It seems that Manchester United are loosing their touch, as we know that’s the second top player in months they have lost to the glamorous Real Madrid – they too wanted to sign Benzema.
£££££££
Ironically, I was looking at a past copy of the Metro newspaper, dated 15th May, where Ronaldo was categorically stating he is happy at Manchester United and has no intention of leaving during the summer.
Well, the pundits have been proven to be right in saying that Real would make their move again after last year’s will-he-or-won’t-he fiasco.
I’d just like to say thank you Cristiano for displaying for Manchester United why you are the top-rated footballer you are, especially against FC Porto earlier this year.
Whatever you may personally think of him – player or over-pampered prima donna – this is one man who knows how to create and score goals, while remembering the team he plays in must come first.
I genuinely wish all the best for Ronaldo and hope he continues to do well in his life, both on and off the pitch, as balance in life is so important.
His former manager also wishes him no ill-will as Sir Alex recently had a quiet farewell dinner with him in Cheshire, Manchester.
His unveiling at the Bernabeu drew in more people than Manchester's Old Trafford could ever hold.
If you still dislike what Ronaldo’s done, then ask yourself this question; if an organisation wanted you so much, they will pay £80 million for you and give you an astronomical wage of £200,000.00 a week, would you turn that down?
I thought so!
£££££££
This leads me onto the current problems I can see with Manchester United.
Yes, they won the league, but now they haven’t got Ronaldo, a forward who could win games from nowhere, it seems that despite having £80 million in the bank, they can’t get anyone.
After this season’s defeat by Liverpool – who could forget that 1-4 drumming in the Premier league and the humiliating 2-0 defeat by Barcelona in the UEFA finals – it’s clear that the central midfield is weak and that’s not being helped by the uncertainty surrounding Owen Hargreaves – nobody knows whether this man will play again.
Dimitar Berbatov has had sparingly good matches this season, while Giggs and Scholes are clearly at the stage where they will want to retire and coach the under 18’s.
Carlos Tevez - who accuses Mr Berbatov of forcing him out of United - looks set to join derby rivals Manchester City.
The purchase of Michael Owen, a well-respected but out-of-favour with the England team manager was a shrewd move, which clearly replaces Ronaldo, but it’s yet to be seen whether he’ll be happy playing alongside Wayne Rooney, who along with Theo Walcott, have pushed him out of the national squad.
Then again, something tells me that a striker with his ability wasn’t going to be happy playing in the first division – better known as Division Two to those of you who remember watching The Saint and Greavise (no relation to moi) on (now titled) ITV1.
Furthermore, being a former Kop player, something tells me the Mancurians and their supporters are going to be divided about welcoming Owen.
Unless these issues are dealt with soon, come next season, it’s unlikely that Manchester United will be the winners of the Premier League.
£££££££
Another reason for putting my reservations across about Manchester United retaining the title next season is due to the present Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti confirming that John Terry will remain Chelsea captain “forever” and that the “Chelsea-Terry story will continue”.
Blues fans will be happy with this statement of intent from the Chelsea manager, a clear signal that he sees Terry, who has been with The Blues for 11 seasons, as a major force in their title bid – as well as fending off the constant interest from Manchester City.
But this does signal a clear push for the title, especially since the purchase of Russian midfielder Yuri Zhirkov, who usually plays as an attacking left-winger and in leftwing, which is clearly adding a platinum frame to this team.
£££££££
Congratulations to Swiss pro Roger Federer on gaining his record 15th Grand Slam win at Wimbledon.
He surpassed Pete Sampras’s total of 14 major titles.
But defeating Andy Roddick was no easy feat and he made Federer work for every point in five sets during Sunday’s final.
I saw how actor Russell Crowe, Sir Alex Ferguson and Mr Sampras himself watched seeing history being made.
I’m not surprised about the latter two being present as being sportsmen themselves, they can understand the focus, drive and determination – under the watchful gaze of millions – of these two men, as well as the pressure surrounding them.
Looking at today’s technology and how it keeps getting better year by year, it’s only a matter of time before Mr Federer’s record is broken, so my advice to him is enjoy it while you can.
Then again, Roger could make it Sweet 16!
£££££££
As for the women’s tournament, well it wasn’t a surprise that a Williams sister won.
Despite not getting the top seed ranking, once again, both Venus and Serena – who won the female section – showed us why they are dominating the women’s role of tennis.
Their power, strength, agility and speed are second to none.
Needless to say, they both went on to win the women’s double too.
My heartfelt congratulations to both the Williams sisters.
£££££££
Now for The Ashes.
Considering only two teams can play, it shouldn’t surprise some that only cricket-obsessed fans really take an interest in this.
But it would be nice to have it confirmed what The Ashes urn contains, rather than speculated!
£££££££
Nevertheless, if you don’t understand cricket, then please read the book Beyond A Boundary by CLR James.
My mum, despite being from Barbados – just like my dad – didn’t know a hoot about the game until reading this book.
I brought it for my dad as a Father’s Day present but considering my mum takes all day to get her hair done, she decided to take this book along with her - she enjoyed reading it too!
It’s long been accepted this is one of the best sporting books ever written and clearly shows the author’s dedication to cricket.
In other words, well worth a read!
I did a biography on him for the history section of a monthly magazine - Cyril Lionel Robert James was a great thinker. His work, like MJ, lives on after his death.
£££££££
I was at the Southbank a few weeks ago, when I stumbled on the Simple Acts campaign by the Refugee Council.
It’s all very well dismissing such organisations as do-gooders but then I remembered a case of Ahmed, a Somalian in his mid twenties who could pass as Jamaican.
He was self-employed as a plaster and had two men working for him, when he was approached in a pub after 6pm to be a drug seller by two Caucasian men.
He said no and thought that would be the end of it but after 10pm that night he answered a knock on his door and realised the same men had followed him home.
He was bundled into a van by the same men – who had someone else as a driver, taken to a council estate that still had the old fashioned heaters that provided fuel for the whole block, rather than individually, like it is now for many council buildings in London.
He was tied down to the heater which started to burn his skin. In order to free himself, he had to break the pipe that was tying him down to the heater.
But he was left with a choice between the devil and the deep blue sea as by breaking the shaft, all the piping-hot water in the radiator painfully melt his skin to leave him with 80% second to third-degree damage.
But he refuses to be downbeat. He went back to Somalia to get himself a wife, stating that no woman in England would want him because of his disfigurement – he wears a prosthetic right hand – learnt how to write with his left hand and is now back working as a bus driver.
The men who kidnapped, tortured him and tied him down to that radiator have not been caught but as Ahmed said to me: “They will get their comeuppance, so I don’t let it bother me.”
He was visiting Inquilab Housing Association as his wife was pregnant with their first child and just wanted help in fixing up his mortgage in Acton, north London, as he lost his business while in hospital, recovering from his wounds.
So I was happy to sign up for Option 3: Learn To Say A Few Things In A New Language for Refugee Week, which is just as well as I’m determined to sign up for a language course in Portuguese.
I want to do this as Brazil is still by far the Mecca for football talent, so speaking a few words in their language will help to break the ice.
Plus there’s a strong Portuguese community in Harlesden, so I’m sure that I’ll get a lot of practice.
Here are a few pictures of last year’s Celebrating Sanctuary event (displayed above) also held at the same venue as this year’s festival.
One of them includes the lead singer of indie band the Noisettes – their lead singer, Shingai Shoniwa (first name pronounced Shing-eee) is of Zimbabwean parentage.
The pictures were taken by Nana Varveropoulou.
To find out more, visit their internet site: www.simpleacts.org.uk
Please don’t forget to visit my other internet site: www.andriagreaves.com
Peace
Andria
If you still dislike what Ronaldo’s done, then ask yourself this question; if an organisation wanted you so much, they will pay £80 million for you and give you an astronomical wage of £200,000.00 a week, would you turn that down?
I thought so!
£££££££
This leads me onto the current problems I can see with Manchester United.
Yes, they won the league, but now they haven’t got Ronaldo, a forward who could win games from nowhere, it seems that despite having £80 million in the bank, they can’t get anyone.
After this season’s defeat by Liverpool – who could forget that 1-4 drumming in the Premier league and the humiliating 2-0 defeat by Barcelona in the UEFA finals – it’s clear that the central midfield is weak and that’s not being helped by the uncertainty surrounding Owen Hargreaves – nobody knows whether this man will play again.
Dimitar Berbatov has had sparingly good matches this season, while Giggs and Scholes are clearly at the stage where they will want to retire and coach the under 18’s.
Carlos Tevez - who accuses Mr Berbatov of forcing him out of United - looks set to join derby rivals Manchester City.
The purchase of Michael Owen, a well-respected but out-of-favour with the England team manager was a shrewd move, which clearly replaces Ronaldo, but it’s yet to be seen whether he’ll be happy playing alongside Wayne Rooney, who along with Theo Walcott, have pushed him out of the national squad.
Then again, something tells me that a striker with his ability wasn’t going to be happy playing in the first division – better known as Division Two to those of you who remember watching The Saint and Greavise (no relation to moi) on (now titled) ITV1.
Furthermore, being a former Kop player, something tells me the Mancurians and their supporters are going to be divided about welcoming Owen.
Unless these issues are dealt with soon, come next season, it’s unlikely that Manchester United will be the winners of the Premier League.
£££££££
Another reason for putting my reservations across about Manchester United retaining the title next season is due to the present Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti confirming that John Terry will remain Chelsea captain “forever” and that the “Chelsea-Terry story will continue”.
Blues fans will be happy with this statement of intent from the Chelsea manager, a clear signal that he sees Terry, who has been with The Blues for 11 seasons, as a major force in their title bid – as well as fending off the constant interest from Manchester City.
But this does signal a clear push for the title, especially since the purchase of Russian midfielder Yuri Zhirkov, who usually plays as an attacking left-winger and in leftwing, which is clearly adding a platinum frame to this team.
£££££££
Congratulations to Swiss pro Roger Federer on gaining his record 15th Grand Slam win at Wimbledon.
He surpassed Pete Sampras’s total of 14 major titles.
But defeating Andy Roddick was no easy feat and he made Federer work for every point in five sets during Sunday’s final.
I saw how actor Russell Crowe, Sir Alex Ferguson and Mr Sampras himself watched seeing history being made.
I’m not surprised about the latter two being present as being sportsmen themselves, they can understand the focus, drive and determination – under the watchful gaze of millions – of these two men, as well as the pressure surrounding them.
Looking at today’s technology and how it keeps getting better year by year, it’s only a matter of time before Mr Federer’s record is broken, so my advice to him is enjoy it while you can.
Then again, Roger could make it Sweet 16!
£££££££
As for the women’s tournament, well it wasn’t a surprise that a Williams sister won.
Despite not getting the top seed ranking, once again, both Venus and Serena – who won the female section – showed us why they are dominating the women’s role of tennis.
Their power, strength, agility and speed are second to none.
Needless to say, they both went on to win the women’s double too.
My heartfelt congratulations to both the Williams sisters.
£££££££
Now for The Ashes.
Considering only two teams can play, it shouldn’t surprise some that only cricket-obsessed fans really take an interest in this.
But it would be nice to have it confirmed what The Ashes urn contains, rather than speculated!
£££££££
Nevertheless, if you don’t understand cricket, then please read the book Beyond A Boundary by CLR James.
My mum, despite being from Barbados – just like my dad – didn’t know a hoot about the game until reading this book.
I brought it for my dad as a Father’s Day present but considering my mum takes all day to get her hair done, she decided to take this book along with her - she enjoyed reading it too!
It’s long been accepted this is one of the best sporting books ever written and clearly shows the author’s dedication to cricket.
In other words, well worth a read!
I did a biography on him for the history section of a monthly magazine - Cyril Lionel Robert James was a great thinker. His work, like MJ, lives on after his death.
£££££££
I was at the Southbank a few weeks ago, when I stumbled on the Simple Acts campaign by the Refugee Council.
It’s all very well dismissing such organisations as do-gooders but then I remembered a case of Ahmed, a Somalian in his mid twenties who could pass as Jamaican.
He was self-employed as a plaster and had two men working for him, when he was approached in a pub after 6pm to be a drug seller by two Caucasian men.
He said no and thought that would be the end of it but after 10pm that night he answered a knock on his door and realised the same men had followed him home.
He was bundled into a van by the same men – who had someone else as a driver, taken to a council estate that still had the old fashioned heaters that provided fuel for the whole block, rather than individually, like it is now for many council buildings in London.
He was tied down to the heater which started to burn his skin. In order to free himself, he had to break the pipe that was tying him down to the heater.
But he was left with a choice between the devil and the deep blue sea as by breaking the shaft, all the piping-hot water in the radiator painfully melt his skin to leave him with 80% second to third-degree damage.
But he refuses to be downbeat. He went back to Somalia to get himself a wife, stating that no woman in England would want him because of his disfigurement – he wears a prosthetic right hand – learnt how to write with his left hand and is now back working as a bus driver.
The men who kidnapped, tortured him and tied him down to that radiator have not been caught but as Ahmed said to me: “They will get their comeuppance, so I don’t let it bother me.”
He was visiting Inquilab Housing Association as his wife was pregnant with their first child and just wanted help in fixing up his mortgage in Acton, north London, as he lost his business while in hospital, recovering from his wounds.
So I was happy to sign up for Option 3: Learn To Say A Few Things In A New Language for Refugee Week, which is just as well as I’m determined to sign up for a language course in Portuguese.
I want to do this as Brazil is still by far the Mecca for football talent, so speaking a few words in their language will help to break the ice.
Plus there’s a strong Portuguese community in Harlesden, so I’m sure that I’ll get a lot of practice.
Here are a few pictures of last year’s Celebrating Sanctuary event (displayed above) also held at the same venue as this year’s festival.
One of them includes the lead singer of indie band the Noisettes – their lead singer, Shingai Shoniwa (first name pronounced Shing-eee) is of Zimbabwean parentage.
The pictures were taken by Nana Varveropoulou.
To find out more, visit their internet site: www.simpleacts.org.uk
Please don’t forget to visit my other internet site: www.andriagreaves.com
Peace
Andria
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