WalesOnline Magazine Sport Blog tag:blogs.walesonline.co.uk,2008-02-08:/sport//947 2012-02-09T20:26:59Z Movable Type Enterprise 4.35-en Troubled England need only look across the border tag:blogs.walesonline.co.uk,2012:/sport//947.387527 2012-02-09T20:21:32Z 2012-02-09T20:26:59Z This summer England will take part in another major tournament under the pressure of expected success despite consistent failure. The miserable memories of South Africa and the last World Cup will become increasingly distant as the press and media hype-up... Mark Pitman This summer England will take part in another major tournament under the pressure of expected success despite consistent failure. The miserable memories of South Africa and the last World Cup will become increasingly distant as the press and media hype-up another dream, before choosing a scapegoat for failing to turn it into reality three weeks later. The European Championships are just a few months away but England currently have no captain, and more importantly, no manager to appoint one. John Terry has twice been stripped of the honour of leading his country and now Fabio Capello has resigned over the decision of the Football Association to make a morale stance. Wales by comparison have no such troubles, but also have no major tournament to look forward to, and haven't since 1958. The two nations have rarely found common football ground through their respective statuses in the game, but recent events have surprisingly handed regular bridesmaids Wales the edge over their English rivals.

The figures blamed for England's disappointing World Cup in South Africa in 2010 range from goalkeeper Robert Green to Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda, but the sober assessment in the aftermath of the tournament focused on Fabio Capello and his mistakes both and off the field. Like all of his predecessors, the Football Association's highest-profile appointment soon became a target for those that had once praised his arrival, and few of the England fans fed on a diet of press opinion will worry about his recent resignation. His resignation was however the result of his employers stepping into salvage their own dignity by removing the England captaincy from John Terry, undermining the Italian who had stripped him of it once before and then handed it back at a later date, in the process. England will not worry about Capello and Capello will not worry about England however, but as a major tournament approaches, key personnel are no longer in place.

]]> Wales by comparison have become the progressive opposite. With a squad that includes of some of the Premier League's most exciting and talented young players, the relative success of achieving qualification for a major tournament is a dream for Wales in the same way that England dream of winning one. The difference however is that Wales are making strides forward to make their dream a reality while England stagnate in negativity. This shift in optimism and belief is not through the natural success cycle of football or from pure luck, it is in fact the result of a plan built on a change in culture and attitude, and it is one that the collection of ego's that form the England national team can learn a lot from as the FA look to make some crucial appointments before the summer.

The manager of any national team in the modern game will be the figure responsible for the success or failure, however irrelevant their role has been in the real cause of what has, or hasn't, been achieved. On this basis the rise of Wales and fall of England can be attributed to two men who for very different reasons no longer hold their positions. The late Gary Speed was appointed manager of Wales just over a year ago as a figure to put pride and belief back into the players representing the country that he did so proudly before them. England by comparison went abroad to offer Fabio Capello his first job in the UK for a wage far higher than any of his peers in the International game. Wales have inherited a foundation for future success from Speed and have made a similar appointment in Chris Coleman to take his work forward. The next England manager, by comparison, will inherit a very different base to build on.


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Fabio Capello has resigned as England manager following the latest controversy to affect the national team


Managers are of course an easy target and that has become an accepted part of the position. Blamed for failure while their players are praised for success, a good team spirit can help keep a manager in his job for a longer than average period of time. When attentions turn away from the manager and onto the players however, a responsible figurehead is needed to show a positive representation on behalf of the team. That natural leader is of course the captain. International captaincy is a honour bestowed on the few fortunate enough to reach such status in the game, and for all the riches offered in the billionaires playground of the Premier League, leading out your country is an experience that cannot be bought. Once again however, Wales succeed where England fail.

Gary Speed took charge of Wales and his first big decision was to appoint a captain. Previous leader Craig Bellamy had relinquished responsibility through his long-standing injury concerns that appeared set to curtail his International involvement, and Speed turned to a fellow midfielder to lead his players on the field through this new era. Aaron Ramsey was handed the captaincy despite barely turning twenty, but his the maturity shown in his performances for both club and country made the controversial decision an easy one for Speed. As a former captain of Wales himself, Speed understood the importance and seniority associated with the position, and made Ramsey a crucial part of his plans.

But Capello's appointment also brought cultural changes for England. In British football tradition, being captain of England was a dream for many and a reality for few. Images of Bobby Moore lifting the World Cup define the year 1966 and still haunt those that have tried and failed to emulate the success of that Wembley triumph. Like Speed, one of Capello's first decisions as England manager was to appoint his captain, but as the debate raged in the press and media the Italian could only scoff at the importance bestowed upon the position and answered the questions put to him with continental comparisons. In Italy, the player declared captain is often the most capped or those reaching a particular milestone during that particular game. While it is still an honour, it represents something much different, but also something very much less.

John Terry was subsequently appointed captain and was then subsequently stripped of the honour when his private affairs became public knowledge. Capello made the stand to silence those calling for action but reinstated Terry as his leader a year later. Terry's latest public disgrace has however resulted in the FA making a decision over Capello by removing the Chelsea defender from his national team honour. What makes the situation worse for England is that it did not come as a surprise, while a similar situation between Ramsey and Wales seems unthinkable. While Terry was hitting the front pages through his affair with a team-mates wife and an upcoming racism charge, Ramsey courted controversy by declaring his ambition to represent Team GB in the Olympic games, even though the Football Association of Wales were against the idea. What England would give for such a captain.

Chris Coleman now starts a new era with Wales, and by comparison, England will be doing the same with their next appointment. Like Speed, Coleman is another former proud Welsh player and knows what it means to represent his country. England have openly spoke of replacing Capello with an Englishman and while this shows they are looking to develop a certain culture at International level, it also admits that Capello and his awful grasp of the English language has largely been an expensive failure. There is no prouder Englishman than Stuart Pearce, a devoted football nationalist who has captained his country with pride and passion. Currently the manager of the Under-21 side, Pearce is everything to England what Gary Speed was to Wales, and he has been handed caretaker charge until the permanent appointment is made. Harry Redknapp, cleared in Court earlier this week, is the current favourite to take over. Maybe they haven't learned that much after all.

Visit www.markpitman1.com for links to all blogs, news stories, features, reports and opinion as the big Welsh football news stories break.
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]]> Six Nations Opening Weekend - YEARGHH!! tag:blogs.walesonline.co.uk,2012:/sport//947.387182 2012-02-05T17:41:17Z 2012-02-06T21:25:07Z Do excuse the unscientific opening but the emotion is still running high after a game that we so easily could have lost before the World Cup happened. That group of players are fast becoming the best in Europe. I... Tom Beer

Do excuse the unscientific opening but the emotion is still running high after a game that we so easily could have lost before the World Cup happened. That group of players are fast becoming the best in Europe. I was never quite sure why Ireland were receiving the pundits nomination, it seemed to be based solely on the Heineken Cup, which they have had dominance over for the last few years and yet have lost to Wales three times in a row.

That was such a massive game for Wales, one to really show that the World Cup was not a blip in the radar but the beginning of an upwards trend. I hope we don't become complacent but the following games against Italy, Ireland and Scotland should be much less of a challenge than a wonderfully formidable Ireland side. The defences of those three will not be as tight and as fast as Ireland and I imagine once pierced a few times will tire sooner.

All the way through Wales showed a determined nature to attack, to run and to make yards, the once criticised predictability seems to have turned to reliability; in patiently keeping hold of the ball and building phase after phase. Players like North, Davies and Halfpenny are simply flourishing with the guidance of Adam Jones, Phillips and Roberts bringing the foundation to back up the firepower.

I thought James Hook played well as well, he was eager and looking for work and popping up all over the field. One change I would make is to take the kicking duties away from Priestland. Halfpenny has voiced his desire to have that responsibility and it would do well for his attacking confidence and ease Priestland of the pressure. One thing I hope for is that Gatland doesn't do what he has done before and bring all the changes in for an "easy" game. Keep the core of that team identical and build some momentum going forward.

Bradley Davies will be citied for that tackle; I have little doubt of that. It will also be a massive talking point because if that tackle was a yellow card, how was Sam's a red? This isn't a point about what could have been, but of how inconsistent the rulings are. This is followed up by, I believe it was, Ferris who was also yellow carded...does that mean those two tackles were of equal severity? I would love a bit of consistency when it comes to this because it is very frustrating.

]]> It's Easy To Forget tag:blogs.walesonline.co.uk,2012:/sport//947.387171 2012-02-05T09:25:05Z 2012-02-05T09:28:20Z It's easy to forget that other golfers are often people as well. Frequently all they appear to be are slow moving, exasperating, megalithic obstructions, arrogant youngsters or grumpy old committee members. They are frequently real people, just like you, I... Byron Kalies http://www.byronkalies.com
It's easy to forget that other golfers are often people as well. Frequently all they appear to be are slow moving, exasperating, megalithic obstructions, arrogant youngsters or grumpy old committee members. They are frequently real people, just like you, I guess, with their own fears and concerns, handicaps and hang-ups. However, it is easy to forget this when they're on the green a hundred yards away from you clustered around the flag marking their scores. Or when one of them is ambling back to the tee after they've duck hooked one so far left that the only question is whether it's in the same post code as the fairway, not whether it's in or out of bounds. Why didn't they just play another one off the tee? Were they hoping for some divine intervention? Did they think that a dove would swoop down and gather the ball in its little beak and drop it back on the fairway? Why can't they get a move on? Why don't they just take up bowls?

Preposterously the people behind you have the shameless temerity to complain about you for slow play. Granted it was getting dark when you finished and the group in front of you had finished, showered, had a three course meal and waved sarcastically as they passed you on their way home. Yet, you need to align yourself correctly, don't you? You've seen all professionals stop when something disturbs you and you go through their whole pre-shot routine again. When you have to look for a ball it's inevitable, you can't play golf without a few mistakes otherwise you'd be off scratch and anyway even Tiger Woods has to look for his ball now and again.

And another thing, how come, when you play with your 'friends' they say the most stupid, more ludicrous, most hurtful things. It starts on the first drive on the first tee. Before you've finished your follow through they're whispering "bunker". There is no way they can know that from your swing, unless they're putting some kind of group hex on you - again. From a greenside bunker you thin it and the ball whistles across the green head high like a tracer bullet. It stops 50 yards away. You're greeted with a less than sympathetic, "Well out". A few shots later and your on the edge of the green. Your hard putt hit a sprinkler climbs vertically for a few kilometres and plops back to earth further away from the hole than you were 3 shots ago, "looked good in the air" comes the less-than-helpful quip.

There are times when your friends can be cruel for instance the time you're in the middle of the fairway on the 150 yard marker and ask politely, "Can I get there with an 8 iron?"

"Depends, " comes the reply

"On what?"

"On how many times you're planning to hit it."

I did get my own back, just the once. I had eagled the long par 5 3rd for the first time in my life and couldn't resist it. I'm not proud of it but it had to be done. When would I ever get the chance again? As we stood on the next tee I took a driver out and asked politely, "Did anyone get a two?"

]]> Exiles success the new Welsh Cup direction tag:blogs.walesonline.co.uk,2012:/sport//947.387161 2012-02-04T17:26:53Z 2012-02-04T17:32:22Z The draw for the Welsh Cup quarter-final was made last week and the only surprise was that the it resembled every other quarter-final draw of the last sixteen years. Seven of the eight clubs that remained play in the Welsh... Mark Pitman The draw for the Welsh Cup quarter-final was made last week and the only surprise was that the it resembled every other quarter-final draw of the last sixteen years. Seven of the eight clubs that remained play in the Welsh Premier League while Cefn Druids were the only representatives from the lower leagues still in with a chance of cup glory. The reason that this seasons status-quo is a surprise however is due to the fact that all six Welsh clubs playing in the English pyramid system were invited into this years competition for the first time since 1994-1995, but while only three took up the offer, none of the trio remain in the competition at the last eight stage.

The decision to invite the six English pyramid clubs into the Welsh Cup this season was the latest in a list of moves made to increase the profile of the competition. In recent years the prize money has been significantly increased, the showpiece occasion of the final has been offered a showpiece venue in Llanelli's Parc-y-Scarlets Stadium, and clubs at all levels of the Welsh game have been offered the chance to enter the competition. The decisions have proved to be a success, and the incentive of a UEFA Europa League place for the eventual winners has become vitally important to clubs outside of the Welsh Premier League's top four, as the European places on offer in the league appear likely to dominated by the same four clubs in the near future.

]]> The latest initiative to raise the profile of the competition however has not proven to be the success that Jonathan Ford, the Chief Executive of the Football Association of Wales, had intended. Wrexham, Newport County and Merthyr Town accepted the offer, Swansea City and Cardiff City declined while Colwyn Bay failed to apply before the deadline date. The invitations were inevitably welcomed with resentment by Welsh Premier League clubs as the increased competition threatened to take much needed prize money, and more importantly, a European place, away from the domestic league. The trio would continue to compete in the FA Cup and concerns were raised over the conference dates of Welsh Cup fixtures involving the three competing clubs should they clash with their own league fixtures.

Merthyr Town were the first of the three invited clubs to compete but were knocked-out in the first round by another fallen giant in the shape of Barry Town at Penydarren Park after the two former Welsh Cup winners were drawn against each other. The 3-0 victory was as convincing as it sounds for Barry against an experimental Merthyr Town side and only two clubs subsequently remained from the initially invited six. Blue Square Premier duo Wrexham and Newport County would not enter the competition until the third round stage, the same stage as the twelve Welsh Premier League clubs, and Barry Town's victory over Haverfordwest County in the second round would set-up another historical Welsh Cup tie.

Barry Town's reward was another away match at another former Welsh Cup winning club. Newport County had recently appointed Justin Edinburgh as manager after disappointing season and although the clubs focus was on their league form, Barry Town agreed to a midweek switch and Newport edged past their Welsh League opponents 3-2 at Spytty Park. It would be a different situation for Wrexham however, drawn at home against North Wales side Airbus UK Broughton, the conference date for the fixture clashed with their high-profile FA Cup match against Brentford and a young starting eleven lined-up at the Racecourse to take on Airbus UK in the Welsh Cup.

The young professionals put in an impressive performance to hold their senior opponents over ninety-minutes but Airbus UK progressed after extra-time with a 3-2 victory. The win was more impressive on paper however as the real Wrexham celebrated a famous FA Cup win at Brentford. Newport County would be the last of the invited clubs in the draw for the fourth round and a high-profile fixture against full-time former Welsh Premier League champions The New Saints looked set to be one of the ties of the round. The last time the two teams had met they had played out a competitive FAW Premier Cup final in 2007, and with £100,000 prize at stake, The New Saints were rewarded for a fine performance with a 1-0 win.

This fourth round Welsh Cup tie would prove to be a very different affair however. With a Blue Square Premier fixture at Gateshead taking place on the same day, Newport County were eliminated from the Welsh Cup before they even stepped off the bus, and the young and inexperienced team representing the exiles at Park Hall that day were 4-0 down before half-time. The New Saints did not add to their lead, but with their progression into the last eight confirmed it did not matter, and with Justin Edinburgh's regular eleven claiming a famous 3-2 victory at Gateshead with two goals in injury-time it did not matter that much to County either. Edinburgh expressed his disappointment that his club had not been offered a fair opportunity to progress in the competition, and his sentiments were echoed by the suits at the FAW headquarters.


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Llanelli defeated Bangor City in last seasons Welsh Cup final at Parc-y-Scarlets


Wrexham and Newport County were both expected to make a bigger impression on the Welsh Cup this season but both clubs were severely hindered by having to play two games on the same day. The duo will find little sympathy from Welsh Premier League clubs however, as both clubs also enjoyed lucrative FA Cup campaigns this season from the riches of live television coverage as well as their respective progression, and their invitation to compete in the Welsh Cup offered the opportunity to take prize money away from the clubs competing in the domestic league. The FAW have a responsibility to continually improve the competition however, and while Welsh Premier League clubs have dominated the Welsh Cup since 1995, they have no divine right to dictate its future direction.

The FAW recently launched its new strategic plan. From grass-roots football to the national team, the document offers an idealistic future for the Welsh game and the Welsh Premier League is well-represented in its plans. Significantly, the future direction of the Welsh Cup is also mentioned, and the mantra of raising the profile of the competition is a recurring theme. Recent steps by the FAW to improve the Welsh Cup have proved successful, but extending invitations to its English pyramid clubs this season has done nothing for the credibility of the competition, and its implementation will be seen as a failure. The FAW are committed to making a success of their flagship competition however, and there will be changes ahead of next seasons competition, with a view to extending the success onto the European stage.

It is unlikely that Wrexham or Newport County would even consider accepting the FAW's Welsh Cup invitation next season without some guarantee that the situation of playing twice on the same day will not be repeated. But the benefits are not just restricted to those clubs choosing to accept the invitation, there are benefits for the FAW as well. The televised final at Parc-y-Scarlets suffers from the size of the stadium and not even well-supported Bangor City have managed to create a noticeable atmosphere for the television audience. A final involving Wrexham, the last club outside of the Welsh Premier League to win the Welsh Cup, would significantly boost the attendance, while Newport County's South Wales location would also offer an increase on the crowd figure. With Wrexham pushing for a return to the Football League, and in the absence of Swansea and Cardiff, the FAW will see the Dragons as a club capable of raising the profile of the competition off the field and also the standard on it.

But lifting the Welsh Cup is only the start of the success. A place in the UEFA Europa League is the real prize of the achievement and opens up another controversial debate in the process. Welsh Premier League clubs have regularly been criticised over performances and results in European competition, and although there has been notable progress made in recent years, the traditional stigma and constant negativity from our own national press and media has unfairly shadowed what progress has been made. In recent seasons at least one club has progressed in Europe, and what was once a rare achievement, has now become a regular occurrence. So regular in fact that the success no longer makes the headlines, but heavy defeats are exploited by the leagues critics, and questions are asked over the FAW's plans to improve our clubs results in Europe.

The Welsh Cup offers such an opportunity. Although no significant improvement in Europe can be guaranteed should Wrexham or Newport County lift the Welsh Cup compared against the achievements of Welsh Premier League clubs in recent years, the critics will have their wish, and if Wales can be represented in Europe by another professional side then there is a better chance of improved results. The balancing act for the FAW however is justifying the change when Welsh Cup success for Wrexham or Newport County means a significant loss in prize money for the Welsh Premier League and its clubs, as these are the clubs that supported the FAW when the national league was formed, when others fought in the high courts to keep their place in the English pyramid.

The FAW have stated their intentions to improve all aspects of Welsh football in their strategic plan. The Welsh Premier League is well-represented in their plans and so is the future of the Welsh Cup, what is becoming apparent however is that the two competitions will not achieve these long-term aims together. The FAW will look to improve on the Welsh Cup but only through the eventual success of its English pyramid clubs in it, while Welsh Premier League clubs will have to learn to accept their dominance of the competition may soon be over, along with the domestic and European prize money that comes with it.

Visit www.markpitman1.com for links to all blogs, news stories, features, reports and opinion as the big Welsh football news stories break.
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]]> Taylor success paves the way for Curtis Obeng tag:blogs.walesonline.co.uk,2012:/sport//947.387047 2012-02-02T19:41:31Z 2012-02-02T19:47:16Z Curtis Obeng completed a dream return to the Premier League this week as Swansea City manager Brendan Rodgers again chose to shop at the low end of the market and completed the signing of the young defender from Wrexham. Having... Mark Pitman Curtis Obeng completed a dream return to the Premier League this week as Swansea City manager Brendan Rodgers again chose to shop at the low end of the market and completed the signing of the young defender from Wrexham. Having been an important player at the Racecourse since his arrival in 2009, Obeng has again been in fine form for the Dragons this season, but will now miss out on the clubs attempt to return to the Football League as he concentrates on developing his own game enough to challenge Angel Rangel for the right back role that he recently has excelled him. The step-up from non-league football to the Premier League is a challenging one, but the success of Neil Taylor at Swansea City has shown that players can thrive under such a challenge, and it is the rise and rise of Taylor that Obeng can thank for his second chance in the top-flight.

Obeng came through the youth ranks at Manchester City but was released following the influx of foreign cash that changed the clubs future. While fellow youngsters Micah Richards and Daniel Sturridge went onto establish themselves in the Premier League, Obeng was released in 2009 and eventually dropped into non-league football with Wrexham after unsuccessful trials at Celtic and Wigan. During his first season at the Racecourse, Obeng lined-up alongside fellow full-back Neil Taylor until his team-mate was picked up by then-Championship side Swansea City in 2010 to play a part in their promotion campaign. Taylor made the transition with ease and established himself on the International stage with Wales during the process. A number of summer offers in 2011 showed Taylor's potential, but the young defender wisely decided to make his Premier League debut with the club that had offered him his chance, and Taylor has continued his progress with a series of fine performances against some of the best players in the game ever since.

]]> And it is the standard set by Taylor that Obeng will inevitably be compared with once he earns his place in the side. Taylor's performances for club and country since his move from Wrexham have been of a high standard and it has paved the way for Brendan Rodgers to take another chance on one of the Blue Square Premier's more consistent performers. Obeng now finds himself back as a Premier League player, and while the performances of Taylor have helped make this dream move possible, the expectations on the talented defender will be a lot higher as a result. Obeng has of course been signed on his own merits, but any concern Rodgers may have had over his ability to make the huge step-up would have been eased by his recent FA Cup heroics against Championship Brighton & Hove Albion.

Wrexham were eventually defeated by Brighton after a penalty shoot-out. The defeat denied the club a lucrative tie against Newcastle United in the next round, but the two games showed how good Wrexham actually are as they dominated both games for long periods against their higher-profile opponents, and deserved to progress. Obeng was one of the star performers for Wrexham during both games, and while Neil Taylor may have inspired other clubs to take a chance on such non-league unknowns, Obeng's move has been engineered by his own attitude in not letting his Manchester City set-back dent his own ambitions of returning to the biggest stage.


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Curtis Obeng follows Neil Taylor in making the move from Wrexham to Swansea City


Although Obeng has been one of the first names on the team-sheet for Wrexham since Dean Saunders signed him in the summer of 2009, the right-sided defender must now accept that he is a squad player in a squad game and his chances over the remainder of the season will be limited. With Swansea City out of both cup competitions, the focus is now only fixed on the Premier League, and experimental changes will be few and far between as a result. Obeng's chance may not arrive until the busy Easter period of fixtures, but he must be ready to take it when it does arrive. Having already made thirty-four starts for Wrexham this season however, match fitness is unlikely to be a problem for the former England Under-19 player, but keeping his place in the side will be a new and unfamiliar challenge.

Obeng was released by Manchester City before he had the opportunity to test himself in the Premier League but he now as another chance. Many talented young players have made the switch from Premier League youngster to non-league regular but few have found their way back up after falling so far down. Brendan Rodgers has instilled a certain culture and attitude into his players since arriving at the Liberty Stadium and the fact that Obeng has remained so focused on his game despite his set-back will not have been lost on his new manager. Rodgers has been almost faultless in his work at Swansea City since his appointment in 2010 and the faith shown in him by the board and the fans can be seen in the fact that the talk around Swansea City is of a permanently positive nature. While many of Rodgers' Premier League peers find themselves under constant pressure and scrutiny, Rodgers has used the January transfer window to look outside of the accepted Premier League market.

Few other fans of rival Premier League clubs would accept the signing of a non-league defender as a positive addition to their squad, but Obeng will receive a warm welcome at the Liberty Stadium, and the same will be offered to Rory Donnelly, the unknown striker Rodgers signed from Irish side Cliftonville earlier in the month. While other managers in the Premier League look to ease the pressure building on them with the signing of over-paid and over-rated big name veterans, Rodgers has once again blended youth and experience to improve on his well-balanced Swansea City squad. Curtis Obeng arrives at Swansea City under the expectancy generated by Neil Taylor's success after he made the same move, but Obeng has his own story to chart his rise back to the Premier League, and it differs greatly from Taylor's tale of progression through the Wrexham youth ranks.

For all the similarities between the signings of Neil Taylor and Curtis Obeng, and the similarities between the two players themselves, both have just as many differences in their professional careers. Taylor and Obeng are both twenty-two, but Taylor has already established himself in both the Premier League and on the International stage, while Obeng only has non-league senior football experience. While the rise of Taylor has inevitably helped Rodgers decide on making a move for Obeng, the defender has been signed on the basis of his own potential, and must now strive to emulate the success of his former Wrexham team-mate. Rodgers meanwhile will know he hasn't signed another Neil Taylor, he has in fact signed Curtis Obeng, and that alone should inspire the youngster to make the most of his second chance.

Visit www.markpitman1.com for links to all blogs, news stories, features, reports and opinion as the big Welsh football news stories break.
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]]> Scott Young plans more cup glory a decade later tag:blogs.walesonline.co.uk,2012:/sport//947.386542 2012-01-26T19:40:44Z 2012-01-26T19:46:32Z The magic of the cup has been a distraction to the prize of Premier League promotion for Cardiff City this week as Malky Mackay's side booked a place at Wembley to take on Liverpool in the Carling Cup final. Mackay... Mark Pitman The magic of the cup has been a distraction to the prize of Premier League promotion for Cardiff City this week as Malky Mackay's side booked a place at Wembley to take on Liverpool in the Carling Cup final. Mackay will be keen to keep his players focused on their Championship fixtures ahead of the February show-piece but will also welcome the momentum that can be generated by a successful cup run. A decade ago to the month however bluebirds fans were celebrating another significant cup triumph, as then-Premier League side Leeds United were humbled 2-1 by a Cardiff City side two divisions and fifty-four places below them, and this weekend the hero of one of Ninian Park's most memorable occasions will be looking for a different type of cup success.

Scott Young was the hero for Cardiff City in January 2002 as the clubs longest-serving player scored the winner with minutes remaining to earn Alan Cork's side a 2-1 victory. Leeds were regulars on the European stage during that particular era and boasted a wealth of talent that included Robbie Fowler, Rio Ferdinand, Alan Smith, Jonathan Woodgate and scorer of the opening goal that day Mark Viduka amongst others. Cardiff City equalised through a fine free-kick from Graham Kavanagh while Robert Earnshaw caused problems at one end and Danny Gabbidon prevented problems at the other. Alan Smith was sent off for catching Andy Legg with a stray arm, much to the disgust of visiting manager David O'Leary, while John Charles sat in the stands to watch two of his former clubs play out a famous FA Cup tie.

]]> Despite the strength of the team performance that day, the headlines and plaudits inevitably centred around Scott Young. An unfamiliar name on the scoresheet, the Rhondda youngster had made his debut for Cardiff City nine years before at the age of just sixteen and would enjoy a total eleven seasons with the club before injury brought about his early retirement. In the week that Cardiff City added another memorable cup victory to their history however, Young will also be out to make another cup upset headline on Saturday when his AFC Porth side on established Welsh Premier League club Carmarthen Town at Richmond Park. Young has now turned his attentions to management with the Welsh League outfit, and while the profile of this weekend's fixture falls way short of his memorable FA Cup triumph, the former defender will be just as keen to succeed as the underdog for the good of his club.

AFC Porth, currently fifth in the Welsh League, are already guaranteed £2,500 in prize money for their achievements in the competition so far this season, but victory at Richmond Park on Saturday will earn the Rhondda club at least double that amount. While that figure would last less than a fortnight at most Welsh Premier League clubs, for AFC Porth and the other remaining feeder league sides that make up the last sixteen it is a significant sum, and one that would be wisely-spent on ground improvements and equipment instead of the signing of a new striker. The challenge for AFC Porth appeared easier when the draw was made in December than it is now however, as over the last few weeks Carmarthen Town have made some important signings, but more significantly they have also appointed a new manager. If Scott Young is to again achieve cup glory a decade later, he will also need to outsmart a former Cardiff City team-mate.


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Scott Young scores the winning goal for Cardiff City against Leeds United


Carmarthen Town reached this fourth round stage of the Welsh Cup with victory over AFC Porth's Welsh League rivals Bridgend Town. It would be manager Tomi Morgan's last game in charge of the side however and former Wales and Cardiff City defender Mark Aizlewood has since returned to the club for a third time with the remit of ensuring they retain their place in the Welsh Premier League. The Welsh Cup may prove to be an unwelcome distraction with the club currently sitting in one of the two relegation places, but Aizlewood will be keen to encourage a winning attitude amongst his squad, and success over South Wales rivals Port Talbot Town in the 1st leg of the Challenge Cup last week suggests he will not be using this latest cup tie to experiment or rest players ahead of the remaining crucial ten league games.

Young and Aizlewood played together at Cardiff City during the 1994-1995 season. While Young proved to be a one-club man, Aizlewood's one season at Cardiff City was one of many as he represented a number of clubs during his journeyman playing career. While both were called up for Wales, Young's only experience in the senior International set-up was to sit on the bench in during the 0-0 draw against the Czech Republic in 2002. By comparison, Aizlewood earned thirty-nine caps for his country between 1986 and 1994 to compliment his twenty-year professional playing career. On Saturday however the two will be reunited as equals, just as they were for that single season at Ninian Park, and Young will be desperate for his team to produce the same unexpected result as he managed with the bluebirds ten years ago.

Cardiff City have a long history of cup success, from lifting the FA Cup in 1927 to the defeat against Portsmouth in 2008, and the latest visit to Wembley for the Carling Cup final against Liverpool is sure to be another historic occasion for the club. As two former defenders prepare to take each other on as managers in the Welsh Cup this weekend however, it is worth remembering that both Young and Aizlewood also have their own Welsh Cup history with the bluebirds. Cardiff City have won the Welsh Cup an impressive twenty-two times in their history, but neither Young or Aizlewood have a winners medal. Aizlewood was a losing finalist in 1994, Young was a losing finalist in 1995, but one man is at least guaranteed some Welsh Cup success this weekend.

Visit www.markpitman1.com for links to all blogs, news stories, features, reports and opinion as the big Welsh football news stories break.
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]]> Bad Beats - Seneca and Yerkes - Dobson tag:blogs.walesonline.co.uk,2012:/sport//947.385838 2012-01-16T15:24:41Z 2012-01-16T15:29:05Z How do you deal with a bad beat? Do you shrug or tilt? Phil Ivey or Phil Hellmuth? Gus Hansen answers the question, "How do you handle a bad beat?" "Some people don't, but the best way is to just... Byron Kalies http://www.byronkalies.com How do you deal with a bad beat? Do you shrug or tilt?

Phil Ivey or Phil Hellmuth?

Gus Hansen answers the question, "How do you handle a bad beat?"

"Some people don't, but the best way is to just go ahead with the next hand, don't worry too much about it, it's just cards. It happens to everybody and sometimes you take and sometimes you give. Don't worry too much about it, just try to play as good as you can the next hand."

Logically

1. You know you're going to lose some time

2. You know it's going to be unfair

3. You know you have been upset in the past when this happened

4. Therefore you are likely to be upset again in the future.

It's not a surprise that you will have a bad beat at some time.

People will be upset. It has been happening for over 2,000 years;

"Is any one surprised that he is cold in winter? That he is sick at sea? That he is jolted about on the highroad?" - Seneca - 'On Anger' AD 41

Seneca believed that a great deal of unhappiness was caused by 'magic thinking'. People refuse to accept the inevitable;

You know something will happen yet still get upset when it does - it's not rational. Deal with it.

Rationally you should have a process for dealing with this.

Why It's Not Good to Tilt

TheYerkes-Dodson law shows that performance increases as anxiety/ arousal increases to an optimum point beyond which performance declines rapidly. i.e. you perform better as you deal with a difficult situation until you reach a point where you rapidly decline. You manage the stress and anxiety well - then there comes a tipping point.

A strategy

You need a strategy - a strategy for dealing with failure. The strategy is about honesty and realism. The measure you use is 'increase the speed of recovery' - How quickly can you get back to full speed after a setback.

The strategy needs to be about honesty and realism.

Managing your anxiety

The more anxiety you can manage the better your performance, the better you can progress along the Yerkes-Dobson curve.

Anxiety is defined as the anticipation of pain. It's not the actual pain. Poker players get anxious, a lot. The anticipation of a bad beat can often be worse than losing itself. So;

1. focus on NOW. Try not to think about 10 minutes ago or 10 minutes in the future.

2. focus on others - not yourself.

Both these strategies make it easier to take the pressure off yourself. You can regain control of the situation. No-one can make you 'tilt' - only you can do this to yourself.

It won't be easy - As you and Seneca know you won't get it right first time. So, don't be hard on yourself. Try gain - it gets easier.

]]> Coleman the best of a limited candidate list tag:blogs.walesonline.co.uk,2012:/sport//947.385761 2012-01-14T15:11:11Z 2012-01-14T15:16:45Z The Football Association of Wales are believed to be moving increasingly closer to appointing former Fulham and Coventry City manager Chris 'Cookie' Coleman as the figure to succeed the late, great Gary Speed and lead Wales into the World Cup... Mark Pitman The Football Association of Wales are believed to be moving increasingly closer to appointing former Fulham and Coventry City manager Chris 'Cookie' Coleman as the figure to succeed the late, great Gary Speed and lead Wales into the World Cup qualification campaign. As the odds on Coleman continue to fall the debate over his suitability for the job has increased as former players and pundits offer their opinion on the Swansea-born former defender. Support for Coleman, 41, is mixed, but no more so than when Gary Speed was appointed just over twelve months ago as people reflect on the negatives without looking at what he can actually bring to the national team. More importantly, however, those against Coleman also fail to offer a viable alternative.

A number of names were put forward to succeed John Toshack and the situation is similar ahead of this latest appointment. Ryan Giggs and John Hartson were strongly linked with the vacancy last time around despite offering no management experience and both have again be linked with the job, meanwhile, Speed's outspoken assistant Raymond Verheijen has also put his name forward despite bringing no management experience or playing experience to the position. Respected International football figures such as Guus Hiddink and Marcel Desailly have also been loosely linked, despite Wales only ever previously appointing two non-Welsh managers in English duo Mike Smith and Bobby Gould, but the foreign names appear out of the FAW's pay-scale. The ideal, and more importantly realistic candidates, are few and far between.

]]> Gary Speed was appointed on the back of a successful playing career for club and country, his limited management experience at Sheffield United did nothing to show his potential for success in the dugout but the FAW showed some surprising foresight in taking him from Brammell Lane to lead forward a golden generation of players. Speed was appointed ahead of a number of other candidates including Coleman, and the choice proved to be the right one, despite a change in on the field success only arriving a few months after his appointment once the off the field issues involving the culture of playing for Wales had been addressed. It now seems Coleman will have his chance, the circumstances of his expected appointment are indeed difficult, but the foundations that are in place offer the opportunity for Speed's eventual successor to achieve relative success with the success-starved nation.

Like Speed, Coleman enjoyed a long playing career for both club and country but also brings management experience that neither Speed or previous boss Mark Hughes could offer when they took charge of the national team in their respective era's. Coleman has managed in the Premier League and Championship in England, but he has also experienced the different cultures involved in managing lower-level clubs in both Spain more recently Greece. His management career started a decade ago at the young age of 32, and while success has been limited, his experiences make him the best viable candidate for the job and it now appears that the suits involved in the selection process at the FAW concur with this view.


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Chris Coleman is the current favourite to take charge of Wales


There has been naive support for Verheijen as the debate over Speed's successor continues. A respected figure in his respective field, Verheijen has no playing experience and no management experience, and subsequently has no right to be considered for an International job with a team now ranked in FIFA's top 50 and boasting a list of talented youngsters playing at the highest-level in the English Premier League. His justification is based solely on the fact that he formed part of Gary Speed's backroom staff, but the success that eventually emerged under Speed was based on the decisions that Speed made, and not on the actions of those that supported him in the background.

Verheijen is however one of the most experienced figures ever to be involved in the national team set-up with Wales. His International coaching work with Holland, Russia and South Korea has taken him to three World Cup finals and three European Championships, but his work has been to support the managers and players and offers no indication that he is the man to not only take charge of Wales, but to continue the progress made by the man that invited him into the national team set-up. A successful playing career is no longer a requirement for successful management in the modern game, but those taking the alternative route work their way up to make their name as a manager, and are not offered top jobs on sentiment alone. Verheijen may eventually prove to be a competent manager, but the risks of appointing him as the manager of Wales at this time are far too big to even be seriously considered.

But the success and potential of achieving more means that there is still an important role for Verheijen, Osian Roberts and other members of the backroom staff to play under the new manager. Coleman will have been an interested observer of Wales' progress under Gary Speed and there is every reason to believe through his character that once his inevitable appointment is confirmed there will be few changes made. While some managers would make sweeping changes upon their arrival as a statement of intent and send a message to the players of their power and influence, as a proud and passionate former Welsh International Coleman is more likely to treat the position with respect and understand his responsibility as a custodian of the national team, and not use the job as a platform to enhance his own career and profile.

And that is why Coleman is the best possible appointment from the limited options available. The work of Gary Speed cannot be carried on without Gary Speed, but the foundations can be built upon and the processes that brought the eventual results can be developed by the incoming manager. Coleman will have his own ideas and beliefs and must be allowed to implement them as he wishes, but there are enough similarities between himself and Speed to believe that he can work alongside the current set-up and take Wales forward from what he will inherit, although he must still be allowed to take Wales forward in his own way. The biggest challenge will be convincing people that some changes are inevitable, and that Wales are now entering a new era, despite things progressing so well before.

There is a rare optimism surrounding Wales ahead of the next qualifying campaign and this level of support must continue despite the mixed response to Coleman's expected appointment. Like any other manager, he will be judged on performances and results that his reign will generate, and his actions will be inevitably and unfairly compared with those of his predecessor. Wales are on the verge of International success, and the fact that the FAW must appoint the right man has been regularly emphasised. Unfortunately, the perfect candidate does not exist, and each potential appointment has evidence of reasonable doubt over their ability to lead this golden generation. Coleman is no exception to this, but he brings more to the table than his competition, and for those calling to keep the status-quo should realise that Coleman is the right candidate to ensure that inevitable changes are kept to a minimum.

Visit www.markpitman1.com for links to all blogs, news stories, features, reports and opinion as the big Welsh football news stories break.
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]]> Former pro's with a Welsh Premier remit tag:blogs.walesonline.co.uk,2012:/sport//947.385325 2012-01-07T14:51:01Z 2012-01-07T14:55:35Z The mid-season split in the Corbett Sports Welsh Premier League has now confirmed which teams will be challenging for the league title and which clubs will be scrapping to stay up as the twelve competing teams prepare for the second-half... Mark Pitman The mid-season split in the Corbett Sports Welsh Premier League has now confirmed which teams will be challenging for the league title and which clubs will be scrapping to stay up as the twelve competing teams prepare for the second-half of the season. Recent managerial changes however mean that two of the clubs in contention for the title and two of the clubs fighting to stay in the domestic top-flight will be guided by ex-professionals for their remaining games as Neath, The New Saints, Aberystwyth Town and Carmarthen Town have added some Football League experience to their backroom staff.

The first of the four appointments came at the Gnoll in November when Kristian O'Leary was appointed caretaker manager of Neath following the dismissal of Terry Boyle and Peter Nicholas. Neath have experienced well-documented financial problems since embarking on an ambitious project to become a dominant force in the Welsh Premier League, but the issues were taken in O'Leary's stride, after he experienced a similar state of affairs during his fifteen years as a professional at Swansea City. Making over 300 appearances for the club after progressing through the youth ranks, O'Leary averaged a manager a year during his playing career and brings varied experience to the Neath role as a result, and as a member of the Swansea City squad that suffered during the clubs financial collapse just over a decade ago O'Leary will not have been phased by the recent problems at the Gnoll.

]]> Since taking temporary charge O'Leary has overseen a drastic change in form for the Eagles and two victories over title-challenging rivals Llanelli over the festive period has put Neath right back in the title hunt. The return of goalkeeper Lee Kendall has offered a timely boost to the rest of the squad and while a court case scheduled for January still casts doubt over the clubs future, progress continues to be made on the field. O'Leary was promoted to his role from his position as one of the clubs most experienced players, but his early success suggests he will remain in charge for the rest of the campaign, as issues behind the scenes are addressed by clubs hierarchy.

One of the surprise moves of the season came last week when The New Saints appointed Craig Harrison as the clubs new Director of Football, replacing Mike Davies who resigned from the position earlier in the season. Harrison had been working in a similar capacity with league rivals Airbus UK Broughton since 2008 but questions were asked over his future when the club failed to claim a single win in their opening nine league games of the season. The board decided to keep faith with the former Middlesbrough defender however and results steadily improved as the club began to find form comparable to the quality of players in their squad.

The lure of a return to the full-time game with The New Saints would prove too strong for Harrison and his remit for the remainder of the campaign will now be to help deliver success and bring the Welsh Premier League title back to Park Hall. As a former player in the English Premier League, Harrison enjoyed a brief period at the top of his profession as a player, but full-time coaching will offer new challenges and the club have obviously seen enough potential to take a chance on him despite receiving a large number of applications for the role. Harrison already knows his clubs opposition, but the full-time side must now maintain their excellent home form and mirror it on the road if they are to re-claim the Welsh Premier League title this season.

Like The New Saints, Neath are the only other full-time side in the Welsh Premier League and the clubs backers have handed control of on the field issues to a duo with a background in the professional game. The reward of a place in the lucrative UEFA Champions League for the eventual league winners starts to offer some justification to maintaining full-time football and neither side can afford to once again lose out on the financial prize that comes with it. Further January transfer window targets will be inevitably be identified over the next few weeks as both clubs prepare to play out their remaining ten crucial games in what is turning out to be one of the most competitive season in the history of the Welsh Premier League.


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Craig Harrison has been appointed as Director of Football at The New Saints


But the drama is not just isolated to those challenging for the league title. The situation is equally as close at the opposite end of the table and two clubs desperate to retain their status have also turned to an experienced duo help turn their fortunes around. Aberystwyth Town and Carmarthen Town are two of the league's more established clubs, both have represented Wales in Europe and both have hosted European football at their respective grounds. Both clubs play an active part in their communities and retaining their status in the top-flight holds more importance than what is initially apparent. For that reason the two clubs have chosen to address the issues that have put them in their present predicament and two former Wales Internationals have made a return to the Welsh Premier League as a result.

Aberystwyth Town started the season with big ambitions for the campaign ahead. After under-achieving last season, manager Alan Morgan was permitted to strengthen his squad and added some experience to his ranks to compliment the talented young players already at his disposal. Experienced figures arriving at Park Avenue included former Sunderland midfielder Sean Thornton, Football League veteran Andy Parkinson, experienced Welsh Premier League defender Wyn Thomas and the talented winger Geoff Kellaway from Melbourne Victory amongst others. The club had ambitions to achieve a top six place at the time of the mid-season split but controversy would deny them reaching this initial aim.

Bottom of the disciplinary table, Aberystwyth Town have picked up ten red cards already this season, and the ten red cards resulted in ten separate suspensions. For all the talent and experience signed in the summer, the undoubted quality of the squad has been largely unavailable and the club currently find themselves in tenth place with just four victories from their twenty-two fixtures. The situation has not been helped by a recent one point deduction for fielding an ineligible player back in October, but the responsibility for the predicament the clubs finds itself remains with those on the field. The board and management have made strong statements with regard to the disciplinary problems that have blighted the campaign, but more drastic action has now been made with the appointment of Christian Edwards.

Director of Football has become a fashionable new trend in the Welsh Premier League as the demands of licensing force clubs to come up with interesting new ways to meet the coaching qualification criteria, and Christian Edwards has been handed this particular role on his return to Park Avenue. A popular player with Aberystwyth at the end of his career, the former Swansea City, Nottingham Forest and Wales defender as held previous coaching roles with the club and also enjoyed a successful, though short, stint as caretaker manager back in 2009. His time at the club his remembered fondly as Aberystwyth challenged at the top end of the Welsh Premier League table and his return has been welcomed as the club look to address the issues that have resulted in their recent failings.

Alan Morgan remains as manager however but Edwards will have an important role to play in the background. This season will inevitably be one of under-achievement for the club but retaining their place in the league is now the clubs priority. Only one place away from relegation, Aberystwyth will take on the clubs around them in the second-half of the season and will rightly believe that they have enough quality to claim enough points in their remaining ten games to comfortably move away from their rivals. Edwards has experienced better times at Aberystwyth and the club will now look to him to put them back to an acceptable level before the summer.

While relegation is only a concern for Aberystwyth at present, it is a very real proposition for Carmarthen Town. The West Wales club have established themselves in the top-flight over the last fifteen seasons and have developed their Richmond Park ground beyond recognition while still managing to invest enough on the field to play in Europe on numerous occasions and lift the Welsh Cup. The club have also actively grown within their own community through a number of initiatives but currently find themselves in eleventh place in the Welsh Premier League, five points adrift of Aberystwyth, and safety. The club sacked manager Tomi Morgan last month despite making progress in the Welsh Cup, and like their rivals Aberystwyth, have now turned to a former figure that has experienced success with the club in a desperate effort to turn things around.

Out of the four ex-pro's mentioned in this article, Mark Aizlewood is the highest-profile figure but he joins the club in the worst position of the four. A veteran of over 450 Football League appearances and with 39 caps for Wales, Aizlewood, like Edwards, closed his playing career in the Welsh Premier League with spells at Aberystwyth and Cwmbran Town, but now returns to Carmarthen Town in a coaching role for a third time. For the first time however, Aizlewood arrives at Richmond Park as manager and his remit for the remainder of the season is clear, the club have ten games to avoid relegation. Since the dismissal of his predecessor Morgan, the club have also brought back Kevin Morris to the backroom staff and former player Neil Smothers has joined as coach. There is a new-look to the management set-up at Richmond Park, but time is not on their side.

During his previous spells at Carmarthen, Aizlewood played a key role in the club qualifying and competing in Europe as well as enjoying Welsh Cup success in 2007. Cuts in the playing budget this season have not made things easy but the club still have some talented young players complimented by some experienced campaigners and the recent arrival of veteran target-man striker Julian Alsop suggests that some of the football played at Richmond Park over the remaining ten games will not necessarily be designed for the purists. Results are what will matter to Aizlewood however if he is to achieve what he has been brought back to the club for and how he achieves it will not be important for the former central defender. Before the club can move forward however, they must play catch up on the teams above them, and each point will be as crucial as those being played for at the top end of the table.

The reduction of the Welsh Premier League to twelve clubs has made the league more competitive than ever before. Only a handful of points separate the clubs challenging for the title and a similar situation makes the relegation fight just as exciting. The financial prize at the top is vital for the clubs speculating to achieve, while retaining a place in the league for the clubs struggling at the opposite end holds just as much importance. The four recent appointments of Kristian O'Leary, Craig Harrison, Christian Edwards and Mark Aizlewood further boost the profile of the competition and compliment the list of experienced coaches already plying their trade in the Welsh Premier League. For the four latest appointees however, their remits are clear, and how they achieve their aims with just ten league games remaining look set to make this another very interesting season.

Visit www.markpitman1.com for links to all blogs, news stories, features, reports and opinion as the big Welsh football news stories break.
You can also follow Mark Pitman on facebook and twitter.

]]> Dealing With Upset tag:blogs.walesonline.co.uk,2012:/sport//947.385316 2012-01-06T17:33:10Z 2012-01-06T17:36:54Z There are times as a human being, or as a poker player when you will be upset. You may be upset with yourself, your opponents, the dealer, the cards, Lady Luck, just about anyone or anything. The usual time players... Byron Kalies http://www.byronkalies.com There are times as a human being, or as a poker player when you will be upset. You may be upset with yourself, your opponents, the dealer, the cards, Lady Luck, just about anyone or anything. The usual time players get upset is when they've had a 'bad beat';

bad beat n. - comic -- When a very strong hand that is a statistical favourite to win loses to a much weaker hand that hits a lucky draw

Some "bad beats" aren't really that bad--Your AK v 2 3 sounds like a bad beat, yet, statistically AK will only win 2 out of 3 times. But sometimes a bad beat is a bad beat and this can, naturally, lead to some form of upset. The upset may take form of an internally (bad mood) or externally (a sulk or a rant). These techniques are rarely satisfactory and do nothing to achieve the objective of getting back "off tilt".

A very useful way of getting off tilt is to understand why you were upset. It may seem straightforward but it really isn't.

There are basically only 3 reasons people get upset. By understanding the emotion and rationale behind your upset you will be able to adjust more rapidly.

The first cause of upset is linked to a BROKEN AGREEMENT.

This can be written or unwritten, formal or informal, spoken or unspoken. It will include lies and perpetrations. This tends to occur in personal relationships.

If this occurs during a poker game it is usually best to move away from the poker table and attempt to resolve it in private. I don't mean a gun fight or anything like that, but a discussion. For instance if you believe a colleague has lied to you or broken some kind of agreement you need to resolve it. If you don't resolve it there will always be a friction and a difficult relationship between you - a "history". This will invariably put you on tilt against them.

The second cause of upset is UNFULFILLED EXPECTATIONS. This would be the situation where you expect something from the game, people in the game, the organisation of the game, etc. that doesn't happen. For instance you may expect a player to behave in a certain way at the table and they don't. This will affect you. You now have a number of options:

Address the situation
Leave the situation
Sulk, tilt and lose all your money
The order of the above is the preferred order. If you can address the situation--do it. If you need to use others to help--use others. It will continue to affect you even if you think it doesn't. You may not realise it until you've left the game and can think rationally about the situation.

The final cause of upset is BLOCKED GOALS. This is the one that is the most personal to you, and the one you can deal with most effectively.

This situation occurs when you've set yourself a goal, a target, and you don't achieve it. Someone, or usually yourself, has stopped you reaching it. In this situation it is tempting to blame external factors for your lack of success: it's the dealer's fault, the opponent, the room, my table position, luck.

"Madness is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting adifferentresult."

Once you've recovered from the initial upset it would be useful to look at yourself. Did you set a realistic target? Have you the skills to achieve this? Did you just have a run of bad luck? Do you consistently have a run of bad luck? Thinking about questions like these will give you some ideas to improving your game and perhaps adopting a more realistic approach to your game. It may be that you need to improve on some facets of your game in order to reach the next level. Or you could genuinely have had a run of bad luck. This happens.

If you keep having bad luck, and keep losing when you shouldn't, you need to break out of that cycle. Looking at the cause of the upset will really help. Remember Einstein's definition of madness:

"Madness is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result."

Perhaps, eventually you'll be able to handle triumph and disaster as well as Berry Johnston did at the 1985 WSOP Main Event:

"There were three players remaining: chip leader, Bill Smith, TJ Cloutier and Berry Johnston, nearly even in chips. TJ had Berry covered by a few chips, and Berry was all-in with A-K against Cloutier's A-J," Mike recalled. "The flop came A-7-3, and a jack came on the turn. TJ won that pot to knock Berry Johnston out of the tournament. I'll never forget it because Berry handled that bad beat as well as anybody could possibly imagine. He didn't moan, he didn't cry, he just shook his head a little bit, ya know? And he got up, shook their hands, and wished them good luck. He walked over to his wife, who wasn't much of a poker player, and she said, 'Oh, honey, are you out now?' 'Yeah,' he said. 'Oh, good. Now, do you want to go get something to eat?'"

]]> Impossible job begins with February friendly tag:blogs.walesonline.co.uk,2012:/sport//947.385177 2012-01-04T15:08:07Z 2012-01-04T15:13:44Z Costa Rica will take on Wales in an International friendly at Cardiff City Stadium on Wednesday, 29th February. The occasion of the fixture will be in memory of the late Gary Speed, who made his International debut against the Central... Mark Pitman Costa Rica will take on Wales in an International friendly at Cardiff City Stadium on Wednesday, 29th February. The occasion of the fixture will be in memory of the late Gary Speed, who made his International debut against the Central American's back in 1990 at Ninian Park, but the date of the fixture means that the Football Association of Wales must now act in appointing a successor to Speed in what will be the both the biggest and most difficult appointment in the history of the association. Speed made massive strides with the national team both on and off the field and his successor will now have the almost impossible task of continuing the progress that has been made.

The circumstances and shock of Gary Speed's passing added a large irrelevance to the appointment of his successor and put football into perspective. Debate over his replacement has now resurfaced as the date for Wales next fixture has been confirmed and the usual list of names have been discussed, from untried former players like John Hartson and Ryan Giggs to experienced managers like Mark Hughes, the FAW has a choice of names to ponder over the coming weeks but know how imperative it is to make the right decision. Gary Speed was a debatable appointment at the time but proved a huge success after initially addressing the deeper issues affecting the national team and his work can again justify the appointment of another untried former player. There is also comment that with cultural issues surrounding Wales now addressed, the FAW should move forward with a more experienced management figure, either way, the decision is a tough one.

]]> It is natural to look for guidance from others involved in the national team set-up and over the last week one of the defining figures of Speed's brief reign has spoken out in support of the backroom staff that played an integral part in restoring the passion and belief in Wales. No stranger to controversy, Speed's assistant Raymond Verheijan offered his usual insensitive opinion that he and Osian Roberts should be allowed to continue with the blueprint and project defined by Speed ahead of the upcoming World Cup qualifiers and that there was no need for the FAW to look any further than what was already available. Both have played key roles alongside Speed in the progress made by Wales, but neither have the relevant experience as either player or manager to make a worthwhile application for the job. Their case has now received further support however.

Gareth Bale has become a talisman for Wales over the last year but has often chosen to open his mouth with the same pace that he takes on defenders for both club and country. After offering his irresponsible thoughts on the Olympics and Team GB, Bale has now come out in support of Verheijan - "Raymond's done a fantastic job with Gary Speed and yeah, we want to keep it that way," said Bale. "Hopefully all the board members, all the FAW members will see sense and we've got a major tournament around the corner and we're playing some great football and we're getting actual results. So hopefully they've realised that that's happening. I know personally most of the players want to keep it the same."


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The FAW are expected to name Gary Speed's successor over the next few weeks


The last sentence is the most significant in Bale's words of praise. Of course, everyone wants to keep it the same, but this is no longer possible. "Hopefully they make sure that we can carry on Gary Speed's legacy and what he wanted us to do," he continued. "Everything at the moment is perfect and we're playing the best football we've ever played. We're getting big results which we've never really done before and we've got a major tournament around the corner. And it'll be absolutely ridiculous to change anything now because it'll take us a good year or two to get us back up to where we are now and hopefully the FAW can come to their senses and stick with what we've got."

It is hard to argue with Bale's thoughts, I am sure every Wales fan wants to "keep it the same", and thinks that it would be "ridiculous to change anything", and that we should "stick with what we've got". Unfortunately, things are not the same, because what made everything work was the catalyst in all the plans, the preparations and the progress that were developed over the last twelve months. The catalyst in making it work was Gary Speed. Verheijan and Roberts, together with the players and the rest of the backroom staff all had integral roles within the project, but Speed was the heart and soul behind it all and that is why things can no longer be the same.

There are of course many, many parts of Speed's plans for Wales that can continue to be developed, and there is no reason why Verheijan and Roberts cannot remain as a key part in the next era of Welsh football. However, the facts are that Wales needs a new manager, and the eventual figure must be allowed to bring his own ideas to the table and push the national team forward in his own vision. It is what makes the appointment an almost impossible one. The work of Gary Speed cannot be continued without Gary Speed, it cannot be copied by others without the catalyst that made it work, and Wales will soon have a new manager and his views must be respected and supported as this remains a great time for Welsh football while the talent available is of an almost unprecedented quality.

Few will envy the current situation of the FAW and their eventual appointment deserves support from all and credit for the circumstance in which they take on the position. Unfortunately, Wales now has to make a change and move forward into another new era, Verheijan and Roberts and not an International management duo and promoting them would only be on sentiment and not common sense. There is a golden generation of player currently with in the Welsh ranks capable of making a challenge for World cup qualification, but to realise the potential they must be once again guided and taken forward by leader, someone who can build on the foundations that Gary Speed left behind but use them only as a platform for their own plans to progress. Forget England, this really is the impossible job.

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]]> Feeling Lucky? tag:blogs.walesonline.co.uk,2011:/sport//947.385027 2011-12-31T13:16:57Z 2011-12-31T13:18:25Z Those players identified a priori as being highly skilled achieved an average return on investment of over 30 percent, compared to 15 percent for all other players. This large gap in returns is strong evidence in support of the idea... Byron Kalies http://www.byronkalies.com
Those players identified a priori as being highly skilled achieved an average return on investment of over 30 percent, compared to 15 percent for all other players. This large gap in returns is strong evidence in support of the idea that poker is a game of skill.
- Steven D. Levitt and Thomas J. Miles 2011 - The Role of Skill versus Luck in Poker:- Evidence from the World Series of Poker in April 2011.

The almost universal accepted theory is that poker is a game / sport consisting of a mix of skill and luck. levitt and Miles analysis calculates that highly skilled players win 15% more money than other players. So, one interpretation of the skill / luck ration could be assessed as a ratio of skill / luck as 85% / 15%. This is different from the percentages suggested by another economist, Phil Hellmuth. He calculates that ;"Poker is 100% skill and 50% luck"

Another noted academic and psychologist, Fritz Heider suggests that performing any activity well consists of a mix of external and internal factors. The internal factors he identifies are; your ability to complete the task, and the effort you put into achieving the task. The external factors are the difficulty of completing the task, i.e your opponents play and luck. Heider suggests that you only have limited control of these factors. He feels you can control the internal factors by practicing hard, implementing successful strategies, etc.. but you have no control over the external factors, i.e. your opponents and your luck.

I would disagree with that. I believe you can influence your opponents, (although Heider would probably argue that that would be defined under your internal strategies) and more crucially, and controversially, that you can change your luck.
Heider would definitely disagree with that assertion I believe poker players can influence their luck, and they know it, and their behaviour shows that they frequently act as if they can. Rationally most players will argue this is absolute
nonsense. However, let's look at the evidence. luck can be influenced and here are a number of arguments to prove it;

Argument 1: 3.5 billion people, or more, can't be wrong,can they?
Half the population of the world believe in the ancient Chinese philosophy of feng shui which promotes good luck. A number of large Western Organisations are willing to invest a great deal of money respecting their beliefs;
The Disney Corporation shifted the angle of the front gate of Hong Kong's Disneyland by 12 degrees to align the park for maximum prosperity.
The entrance to the original MGM Grand casino in Las Vegas was inside the mouth of Leo the lion, MGM's mascot. However many Chinese gamblers avoided the casino or entered the casino through the back entrance to avoid the bad luck they believed they would have entering the mouth of the lion. in 1998 the entrance was changed. The architects of the Crown casino in Australia complex consulted 3 feng shui experts when building the $1.6 billion hotel and casino. it is also lucky for gamblers to wear red underwear. Oh, and let's not forget the little prayer most poker players mutter when they're all-in in a coin flip.

Argument 2: Animals can't be wrong, can they?
Animals don't believe in luck, do they? in an experiment carried out by B.F. Skinner he proved that animals, in this case pigeons, are superstitious at heart and will carry out a set of rituals, or superstitions in order to give themselves the best chance of success. Skinner set up an experiment which meant the pigeon had to peck the correct button from a number of options, to get some food. The pigeons quickly established this and learnt which button to peck. Skinner then changed the system and rewarded the pigeons randomly whichever button they pressed. The pigeons responded by behaving in an unusual way.
They developed their own mannerisms; twisting their necks, flapping their wings, pecking close to the buttons in a consistent manner in a bid to reproduce the luck they had previously had achieved by gaining food. In the article "Betting With Magic & The Use of Magical Belief Systems in Gambling" Bess Hayes and Dr. Tyler Jarvis conclude,"Despite understanding the probability and independence of events in gambling games, gamblers repeatedly exhibit actions that display their belief in an ability to control the outcome of an event in a game."

Argument 3: Governments can't be wrong, can they?
If the highest powers in the land acknowledged that luck could be influenced that would be some proof, yes?;
"He (expert witness Roy Cooke) enjoys poker and agreed that there was skill involved, but he believes that luck prevails every time. He testified that he had seen a television poker tournament in which there was a hand that had a 91 percent chance to win and yet it lost to a hand with only a 9 percent chance to win. He opined that this was absolute proof that in poker, luck pre-dominates over skill." - North Carolina Supreme Court findings summarizing expert witness testimony of Roy Cooke, July 2005.
Sweden's Supreme Court Judge Goran Lamberth concluded that "cash games constitute games that primarily depend on luck as in the meaning of chapter 16, article 14 of the Criminal Code."
In the Gutshot Poker Club case in England, the court ruled poker to be a "game of luck and so subject to the Gaming Act."
The argument is as follows;
• Poker is a game of luck.
• Luck is by definition not consistent and must eventually balance itself out.
• Some players consistently win more than others over a substantial period
• Therefore these players must have an influence over the amount of good luck they have.

Argument 4: psychologists can't be wrong, can they?
4a. An experiment was carried out with people who described themselves as "lucky"and another set who didn't describe themselves as lucky. The test was given to these two groups of people. Both groups were given newspapers with hidden messages. They were asked to complete a task and during that task they could come across clues and hidden messages giving them instructions on how to win $100. People from the "lucky" group did far better than the other group. The psychologists conducting this experiment concluded that feeling lucky can help you it gives you positive vibes and a more optimistic viewpoint. Feeling lucky makes you more likely to see the good side and influence your behaviour.

4b. People can control their luck. Or, more accurately, people behave as if they can control their luck. Ellen Langer, psychologist, describes this as the "illusion of control."

This illusion of control was illustrated in an experiment she carried out based on a lottery. The lottery is an acknowledged game of pure chance with each ticket having as much chance of winning as any other, obviously. One group of people were given lottery tickets with images of famous sportspeople on them. Another group were able to select which lottery ticket sportsperson they choose. Each ticket cost 1$. When scientists attempted to buy tickets from these groups, based on the excuse that there were no more lottery tickets left, they found that the people who had been given random tickets negotiated the sale of their tickets for on average, $1.96. Whilst the people in the group who had selected their own tickets sold them for an average of $8.67. Therefore the second group, who had chosen their own tickets, behaved as though they had more control of their luck than the first group who's chances of winning was pre-determined.

4c. in a practical situation sociologist E.G. Coffman found that dealers who experienced runs of bad luck ran the risk of losing their jobs. He also observed craps players in action. He found that people tend to throw the dice softly if they want low numbers or to throw hard for high numbers, after, of course, blowing on the dice.

Argument 5: Sports stars can't be wrong, can they?
Paul Azinger, golfer, always marks the position of his golf ball on the green with a US penny that features Abraham Lincoln. Not only that but he lines the penny up to ensure lincoln is looking at the hole. Wade Boggs, liked to eat chicken before a game at 5.17pm precisely. He then went and hit exactly 150 balls in batting practice. Serena Williams blamed her failure to win the 2007 French Open on herself: "I didn't tie my laces right and I didn't bounce the ball five times and I didn't bring my shower sandals to the court with me."

The "Illusion of control" is a great way of summarising the attempt to control your fate. On the one, rational, level it seems absurd. How can having an orange in front of you at a poker table possibly affect your chances of winning? However, one of the most important aspects of poker, or any competitive activity really, is feeling comfortable about it and getting yourself in the best frame of mind. if that means doing a little dance around your chair before you sit down, so what. Do what feels right for you.

"As long as their routine helps them get into that state of mind and doesn't damage their performance, or that of anyone else on their team, then I would encourage them to do it. When it can become a problem is when it becomes an obsession that can be damaging." Dr Tony Westbury, lecturer in sport, exercise and psychology at Napier University in Edinburgh. The dangers, as Westbury goes on to add, is that for some athletes, superstition can become dangerously close to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

Conclusion
Perhaps the final word needs to come from Dylan Thomas, poet, not someone you would call a "lucky" person. in the foreword to his book of Collected Poems he wrote;
"I read somewhere of a shepherd who, when asked why he made, from within fairy rings, ritual observances to the moon to protect his flocks, replied: "I'd be a damn' fool if i didn't!"

This article first appeared in 'World Gaming Executives' December 2011

]]> Tenby Golf Club - The Railway, James Braid and Dai Rees tag:blogs.walesonline.co.uk,2011:/sport//947.384855 2011-12-24T11:21:54Z 2011-12-24T11:23:53Z Tenby is a town with a lot of history. Originally a Norse settlement, the town has developed fairly peacefully for the greater part of its life. The architecture reflects the steady progress of history with some of the finest buildings... Byron Kalies http://www.byronkalies.com
Tenby is a town with a lot of history. Originally a Norse settlement, the town has developed fairly peacefully for the greater part of its life. The architecture reflects the steady progress of history with some of the finest buildings remaining intact. For example the largest parish church in Wales, St. Mary's. It is thought that this has been the site of a church since Norman times and the tower of the current church is over 700 years old. The 15th century Tudor Merchant's House on Quay Street is the oldest furnished building in Tenby and still decorated with authentic Tudor fittings. However the most striking features of the town are the walls that were built following the destruction of the town by Prince Llewelyn in 1260 that surround part of the streets and alleyways. The narrow streets in some parts of the town give it an air of cosiness and warmth, at least for a great deal of the year. In the height of summer this protection from invading armies can become quite claustrophobic as the visitors push and jostle their way along the narrow, medieval streets.

This is in stark contrast to the golf course, situated close to the town, where the layout of fairway, rough and gorse give it the traditional links feel of being at one with nature. It embodies the word 'links' which literally means the linking of the land with the sea.

The town of Tenby is known in Welsh as Dinbych y Pysgod. This translates as 'little fort of fishes' which would have perfectly summed up the town and the surrounding walls for much of its long history where fishing has always been a vital part of the town's' economy.

The steady historical progress of the town came to an abrupt turn with the arrival of the double-edged sword of the railways in 1853. The town was seen as a health resort and Sir William Paxton, politician and merchant banker invested heavily in the town. The Napoleonic wars prevented the affluent Victorians travelling to Europe and soon the area became increasingly popular. This elite trickle of tourists in the first half of the 19th century became a flood of popular visitors as the railway arrived at Tenby in 1863.

To accommodate the influx of visitors and their increasing desire for sport and entertainment the business people of the town created the golf club. The club was also a focal point for local business owners to relax, play and meet. Although the club was officially founded in 1888 there is evidence that even 13 years earlier the game was played along the coast. In a report in the 'Laws of Markets and Fairs' it is revealed that that court proceedings were delayed as the Mayor of Tenby adjourning a case to play.

Tenby is the oldest golf club in Wales. It was established on September 31st 1888 after a meeting in the Town Hall. At the meeting 6 local residents decided to officially form a club. The first membership fees were 10/6d per year or 5/- per month (equivalent to £280 / year or £130 / month today)

Tenby Golf Club was the first affiliated club in Wales and a founder member of the Welsh Golfing Union in 1895 with Porthcawl (founded 1892), Swansea Bay (1894), Glamorganshire (1890), Caernarvonshire (1890), Borth - Ynylas (1885), Aberdovey (1892), Rhyl (1890) and Merionethshire.

The golf course is as perfect as you can make a golf course. The gently undulating but rugged land running along the coast is perfect for seaside golf. The rough and gorse have been used to its maximum effect. If you hit a good shot you'll get a good result. It's a course for thinkers not sloggers. It's not a long course and each hole is different from each other, and different from the previous day. The wind has a huge effect on the course as it should with a links course. The views across Carmarthen Bay and the monastic Caldey Island are spectacular. The course uses the features of the area in a fascinating contest that echoes the original golfing layouts of Scotland. It especially echoes the course at Prestwick, the setting for the first Open Competition. It can be tough, but always fair. Although there are some blind shots they add to the flavour of an 'old-fashioned' course compared to the relative homogeny of today's courses where WYSIWYG. At Tenby there is still that element of surprise and luck that modern golf architects seem to be determined to take out of the game.

This is no accident. The main designer of the course, and the man responsible for the feel of the course is James Braid. Braid a golf professional and course designer from Fife, Scotland won 5 Open championships at the turn of the 20th century. However, it was as a course designer that he felt his great passion and designed over 200 golf courses in Britain including Championship courses at Carnoustie, Troon, and Prestwick. He worked on 20 courses in Wales. He was prolific and worked the same way. He kept the greens committee happy by charging a low fee and communicating his ideas quickly and effectively.

James Braid was brought to the club early in its existence. In July 1902 he was paid £6 to inspect the course and suggest improvements. Five years later he returned with suggestions and the course was expanded to 18 holes. This new course was opened at Easter 1907 and has largely remained the same ever since.

The course has had a number of famous supporters; Lloyd George, the only Welsh Prime Minister and keen golfer was a frequent visitor and had a holiday home close to the course.

Dai Rees, the Welsh Ryder Cup captain that took the Ryder Cup from USA in the middle of a period where British golf was dominated by America was also a keen player.

An unusual feature of the course is that each hole is named after a feature. Dai Rees is commemorated with the par 3 3rd. Other holes include; 'Monks Way', 'View O'Caldey', 'The Railway' and of course, 'James Braid'.

***

The American writer and golfer Robert Kroeger toured the links courses of Wales and summed up perfectly many golfers thoughts on Tenby golf course;

"Tenby was my favourite course in Wales. The blind shots didn't seem overwhelming and the drama of high dunes and deep hollows more than compensated for this lack of visibility. The greens, true, fast, and always undulating, were the best we'd seen in Wales." - Robert Kroeger

This article first appeared in Cambria Magazine December 2011

]]> South Wales hosts a Welsh Premier festive double tag:blogs.walesonline.co.uk,2011:/sport//947.384847 2011-12-23T15:05:20Z 2011-12-23T15:12:17Z Over the festive period two South Wales derbies will take place in the Corbett Sports Welsh Premier League. Both games are of huge importance to the four clubs involved but for the eventual winners and losers the relevance of the... Mark Pitman Over the festive period two South Wales derbies will take place in the Corbett Sports Welsh Premier League. Both games are of huge importance to the four clubs involved but for the eventual winners and losers the relevance of the fixture and result has very different meanings. The games are split between the top half and the bottom half of the league, as leaders Llanelli host title-challenging rivals Neath at Stebonheath on Tuesday, 27 December (12.30pm), while under-achieving Port Talbot Town take on over-achieving local rivals Afan Lido at The GenQuip Stadium on Boxing Day (2.30pm). Both games are crucial for all four clubs, but the biggest concern will inevitably be about how many people actually care.

Llanelli currently top the Welsh Premier League by a single point over the nearest rivals and current champions Bangor City. The contrast in support however could not be greater. While Bangor City regularly attract over 500 fans to Farrar Road each home game, Llanelli rarely reach half of that figure, despite boasting one of the Welsh Premier League's flagship grounds at Stebonheath. Manager Andy Legg has built and developed a talented squad of players since taking charge back in 2009 and the side are one of the favourites to lift the league title this season despite being challenged by two full-time professional sides. The potential success of the current Welsh Cup holders remains lost on the local sport fans of Llanelli however.

]]> The club have tried without success to attract new supporters over the last few seasons and the elevation of Swansea City to the Premier League has further dented interest in the club. Various initiatives have been introduced and the club have also attempted to work alongside the Scarlets to tap into the strong rugby community of the town. Frustratingly, over 6,000 football fans attended the clubs friendly against a young Manchester United reserve side at Parc-y-Scarlets in August, but the club could only attract a few hundred when they defeated Dinamo Tbilisi in the UEFA Europa League at the same venue in July. Support is a side issue for manager Andy Legg however, and his focus remains firmly-fixed on maintaining a title-challenge that could take a significant step forward over the holidays.

Llanelli are one point ahead of Bangor City and two points ahead of The New Saints at the top of the table. Once again the club have relied heavily on striker Rhys Griffiths to put themselves in this enviable position but they have also shown this season that they can still play and perform without their talisman. While the three clubs will retain title ambitions regardless of their results over the festive period, Neath currently find themselves in fourth place but ten points behind leaders Llanelli as they prepare to play them home and away in their next two fixtures. While Llanelli can afford to drop a point or two before the mid-season split, Neath simply cannot lose any further ground on their rivals and the match at Stebonheath on Tuesday is a huge one for the Gnoll club.

It has been another eventful season for big-spending Neath, but while their toughest test of the season could come off the field in January when they attend a High Court hearing, there are on the field matters to attend to first. It is not the first financially-related problem to face the club this season and may not be the last, but the club remains confident of moving forward and of maintaining a title-challenge this season. The club have lost key players during the current campaign through injury and contractual issues and earlier in the season sacked the management duo of Terry Boyle and Peter Nicholas, but caretaker-manager Kristian O'Leary, a respected figure used to financial problems from his time at Swansea City, appears to have steadied the ship.

With ten points to make up on the league leaders, Neath simply must win both games against Llanelli. The challenge will obviously be a difficult one but the clubs spending demands such success. Should the club lose further ground then it is difficult to even acknowledge them as title-challengers in the second half of the season although the January transfer window will be another test of their ambition and financial projection. The fixture has the potential to be one of the best of the season with Neath's title ambitions almost depending on the result, and while thousands are expected to pack into watch Bangor City play their last ever match at Farrar Road the same day against Prestatyn Town, it is difficult to see more than a few hundred being persuaded to take in this crucial South Wales derby fixture.


porttalbotlido5450.jpg

Port Talbot Town take on local rivals Afan Lido on Boxing Day


Swansea City are in action at the Liberty Stadium on the same day that Llanelli host Neath. The match at Stebonheath will kick off at 12.30pm not to clash with the Swans televised match which kicks off at 5.00pm. If Llanelli had opted to play the fixture on the traditional Boxing Day they would have clashed with the Scarlets match against the Ospreys a mile away at Parc-y-Scarlets. While predominantly a rugby town, more people will travel from Llanelli and the surrounding areas to watch Swansea City than will regularly attend a match at Stebonheath, and it is a situation that is echoed in the other South Wales derby taking place in the Welsh Premier League over the festive period.

Port Talbot Town were initially scheduled to play rivals Afan Lido on Tuesday, 27 December, but switched the game back to Boxing Day when the Swansea City game was switched. While Swansea City and other Premier League fixtures are slaves to television, Welsh Premier League fixtures have become slaves to Swansea City. Like Llanelli, far more football fans from Port Talbot will travel to watch either Swansea City or Cardiff City each weekend than ever dream of paying at the turnstiles of Port Talbot Town or Afan Lido, and the fact that this fixture has been moved twice due to Swansea City emphasises the influence that their progress has on local football.

The Welsh Premier League fixture between Port Talbot Town and Afan Lido will now take place without any distraction on Boxing Day (2.30pm). Although Aberavon will be in action against Neath at the Gnoll in the rugby equivalent of festive tradition, the fixture lacks the same profile as the regional fixture at Parc-y-Scarlets and will not take too many away from the football on offer at The GenQuip Stadium. At the same time however, both Port Talbot Town and Afan Lido find themselves in the bottom half of the Welsh Premier League table, and the lack of interest when the two sides met in the Welsh Cup earlier in the month emphasised a shift away from interest in either club despite the fact they had not met in a competitive fixture for over four years.

Afan Lido won the match 1-0 thanks to a goal from their captain Carl Evans. The defender will miss the Boxing Day fixture through suspension however and this single change could prove to be the difference between the two sides. Afan Lido are currently three points ahead of Port Talbot Town as manager Andy Dyer has brought the best out of his hastily-assembled squad while his opposite number Mark Jones has spent the season competing against injuries and suspensions. Attendances at both clubs this season have been around the league average according to official figures, but both clubs remain frustrated and disappointed by the level of support they receive from their densely-populated location in the town.

Before Afan Lido's relegation from the league in 2005, the fixture against Port Talbot Town was the biggest of the season for both clubs. The attendances for the fixture would regularly be four times higher than the clubs average each season as the two teams battled for local bragging rights in a fixture that would inevitably end in memorable controversy. Terrace antics would often mirror and inspire more antics on the field and only added to the anticipation ahead of the next fixture between the two. Afan Lido are now back in the league and while the fixture has been restored as a result, the recent Welsh Cup match showed that the passion has somehow been removed as the fixture lacked all the passion and intensity that had previously attracted people to be a part of it.

Both Port Talbot Town and Afan Lido will play the second half of the season in the bottom six regardless of the results over the festive period, but the fixture could be a crucial one in bringing back local interest. Despite two of the twelve clubs competing in the Welsh Premier League being from the same town, the only topic of conversation from football fans in the area revolves around the fortunes of Swansea City. When Port Talbot Town and Afan Lido played each other in the top-flight a decade ago, Swansea City were struggling to stay in the Football League, and Welsh Premier League football did attract some interest as a result. It seems that success as subsequently attracted people's interest away from the clubs who need it more than their new-found talking point however, and while this Boxing Day's fixture has the potential to be close and competitive game, the big question will be over how many will even turn up to watch it.

Football clubs can only survive with support. Clubs in the Welsh Premier League either depend on significant sponsorship and benefactors or live well beyond their financial means to compete. Matchday income barely covers the running costs outside of the wage bills and the situation can only last for so long. Next week there are two big South Wales derbies taking place in the Welsh Premier League and both games have been moved so that they do not clash with Swansea City. Christmas is the season of giving, so this Christmas give the gift of support to your local Welsh Premier League club, you might even enjoy it.

Port Talbot Town v Afan Lido - Monday, 26th December - 2.30pm

Llanelli v Neath - Tuesday, 27th December - 12.30pm

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]]> Rodgers transfer policy follows Hollins lead tag:blogs.walesonline.co.uk,2011:/sport//947.384383 2011-12-14T19:42:14Z 2011-12-20T19:10:25Z Swansea City are closing in on a highly-rated young striker Rory Donnelly, 19, from Irish side Cliftonville and manager Brendan Rodgers is expected to complete the deal ahead of the January transfer window for a tabled fee of around £100,000.... Mark Pitman Swansea City are closing in on a highly-rated young striker Rory Donnelly, 19, from Irish side Cliftonville and manager Brendan Rodgers is expected to complete the deal ahead of the January transfer window for a tabled fee of around £100,000. Donnelly has been targeted by his fellow countryman as one for the future and the new-found fans at the Liberty would be foolish to expect the young forward to make the same impact as Fabio Borini did at a similar stage last season as the side look to retain their place in the Premier League. The move for Donnelly is a calculated one, and Rodgers will be keen to tie up the move before looking at bringing in some more established players as his side approach the second half of the season. The move for a player like Donnelly is not a first for the club however, and the clubs more seasoned supporters will be demanding a better return for their investment than the last time the club went experimenting in the lower leagues.

Roll back to 1999 and John Hollins occupied the managerial hot-seat at the now demolished Vetch Field. Times were tough for the Swans but Hollins believed in a rough diamond who, like Donnelly, was making his mark in the semi-pro game. Tommy Mutton was a 21-year-old striker for League of Wales club Bangor City at the time, having joined the club from league rivals Rhyl, and his pace and performances persuaded Hollins to make a £20,000 investment on the untried young striker. Attacking options were not in short supply with Julian Alsop, Tony Bird and Steve Watkin also part of the squad, but Mutton could bring something different to the side as an unknown quantity with his pace. The Swans were struggling in bottom division of the Football League at the time and player investment was a rarity for the club.

]]> Tommy Mutton would become a legendary figure at Swansea City, but for all the wrong reasons. In fact, the most polite assessment of his impact is that the board did not sanction another transfer fee for a further four years after completing the signing of Mutton. By 2001 the striker was back in the domestic top-flight with Rhyl after making just seven Football League appearances for the Swans, his only goal arriving in one of five further cup games that featured in during his time at the club. The experience and experiment appeared to benefit both parties however, as Hollins, and even his successors, were initially prevented from any further financial squandering after only a £20,000 outlay, while Mutton would find his level in the national league and over the next decade would become one of the most consistent and highly-rated strikers with spells at a number of clubs including Rhyl, Bangor City, Caernarfon, Connah's Quay Nomads and Newtown.


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Irish striker Rory Donnelly is expected to complete a January move to Swansea City


Brendan Rodgers has achieved more success than Hollins and his signings have largely proved successful and beneficial to the club. Donnelly will need time to adapt to what is a significant step up in terms of both quality and professionalism for a striker who is still a teenager, but at Swansea City there is enough track record to suggest he will receive all the help and support he needs to make the transition. Swansea City are not expected to make many signings in the January transfer window, and holding onto their current crop of emerging Premier League stars may prove more important than strengthening what they already have. An experienced addition or two would be welcomed by Rodgers, but only at the right price as the club remain rightly prudent, although Rodgers can be trusted to invest wisely by his board.

The Welsh Premier League and quality of player involved in the domestic division has improved significantly since Tommy Mutton emerged on the scene in the late 1990's. While Rodgers has this time retuned to his homeland to recruit the potential next big thing, it would be encouraging to believe that he and his staff have also checked out and researched what talent is available at a similar level a lot closer to home. Reports suggest that Rory Donnelly is an exceptional talent however and therefore the club should be commended on claiming his signature ahead of some of their more established Premier League rivals. His development in the English Premier League can also potentially have a big impact on on the profile and reputation of the Irish top-flight as a result.

In fact, his arrival and subsequent success could offer the sort of profile and reputation boost to Irish domestic football that the Welsh Premier League is currently desperate for. While there may not be any current teenage sensations at the same level as Donnelly in the national league, significant funding for coaching and youth development has strengthened the foundations of the twelve member clubs and better youngsters are emerging from the league each season. A move to the Premier League would be a massive step, but it is one that Rory Donnelly is about to make in January, and should he succeed in these troubled financial times then more and more managers and clubs will be searching the lower levels for the next rough diamond.

Swansea City and Welsh Premier League have both moved on from Tommy Mutton. Rory Donnelly remains a young and largely unknown figure in the professional game but the Irish Under-21 International has impressed enough to warrant his opportunity. The next step forward for the Welsh Premier League must now be to produce its own Wales Under-21 Internationals from the improving youth and Academy systems that each club now has in place in order to receive the same status and respect as their Irish counterparts. It could be the crucial step in making the next Welsh Premier League export another legend, except this time, a legend for all the right reasons.

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