hi - i'm new here . . .

[Rachael]

OK, Goatman.. I'll bow to your superior knowledge of Rugby.. though I've a feeling that when Wilkinson came up against his French equivalent... the feeling was that the latter was streets ahead in things like handling skills and vision.

I'm not actually AGAINST youth.. and having spent 3 years of my life building up a very successful Junior Tennis programme at a village Club (an activity that saw me play more tennis with youngsters than with seniors, break down barriers between the two and ensure Juniors moved up (social tennis, tournaments, coaching, teams) years earlier than most were used to seeing that happen.... I'm quite used to the opposite accusation!

I suppose that having been so involved (albeit at a low level) I was acutely aware of what, exactly, the 15-16-17 year olds were missing... and that makes me more aware of what's missing in the younger seniors. My points are rarely anti-youth.. they are usually about doing what is right FOR the youth: giving them time to sort their game out, gain experience, learn from their mentors and so on before, rather than After, reaching the test arena.

It pains me to see Anderson carted around the world when his own best interests would be better served by being kept resolutely out of all international stuff (including A tours) and gaining experience through bowling academies (the one in India would be good) and playing overseas (grade cricket, anything).

Same has gone for Flintoff most of these past few years: if I were his advisers I'd consider lambasting the ECB for atrocious handling of a talent that has been mined and abused excessively before the guy has even got the point where he should be debuting.

Not anti youth.. just anti the abuse and exploitation of youth.

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

One point rach, Owen and roony arent as good as shearer and sherrigham becasue they are both short arses, and england (under sven) play long ball football. While we are on about football, roony will go on to better things ,owen (who still cant trap a bag of cement) will continue to do wholesome cereal/washing powder ads and poach a few goals and probably captain england.

Goatman, I rate johnny, but he isnt god, and I still see him mainly as a kicker. having said the best kicker the world has ever seen, but still mainly a kicker.

Back to cricket.....what was thread on about I've forgotten now !

[R W S]

Originally Posted by Goatman

We should start the Utrecht branch of the Jonny Wilkinson Fan club!

Forza Utreg ole! ole!

[Goatman]

The French Fly-half? Was that Frederic Michelak? Aged 22?
I thought that the only reason Anderson was in the touring team was because freddy needed some help tying his boot laces. The rabbit goes round the tree........

I largely agree with you. Freddy could (and probably Anderson now should) have been handled better. However, if ENG ever produce a Bradman I hope we have in in the team the minute he is remotely comparable to whoever he is keeping out in terms of performance, whether he is 20, 16 or 12!

[Goatman]

By no means to I think Wliko is God, or a god or remotely devine. there are at least (for me) 5 or 6 better player in the ENG team alone, before you even take the rest of the world into account! All I'm saying is that he is more than a metronomic boot, and the other parts of his game would look better in a worse team.

[Scott-Wozniak]

Originally Posted by R W S

Scott - wrong about Rooney
So Rooney to play more than 114 games and score over 41 goals?

R W S

I really hate it when people quote me out of context just to prove me wrong. Why didn't you quote my whole sentence? Everything would have made more sense with the whole sentence quoted. What I said was -

'...he's still very young and I'm pretty sure that he will end up playing more games for England than Sheringham and Shearer put together.'

So how can I be wrong R W S ? He's only 19, and perfectly capable of playing more than 114 games and scoring 41 goals. How can you be so sure he won't?

Scott

[Goatman]

Incidentally, Farrell first captained GB at 21 and did it bloody well!

[Rachael]

No argument Goatman: some players are the exceptions that prove the rule.. and if a budding Tendulkar popped up in an Eng. U-15 match (are there such things) I trust we'd have him fast-tracked to the big-time just as quickly as is compatible with preparing him for all the **** that surrounds teenage talents these days (though that might mean exporting him to South Africa or New Zealand for 2-3 years: I can't see how ANY teenager could be ready for the sort of **** that today's young talents have to deal with).

[R W S]

Originally Posted by Scott-Wozniak

R W S

I really hate it when people quote me out of context just to prove me wrong. Why didn't you quote my whole sentence? Everything would have made more sense with the whole sentence quoted. What I said was -

'...he's still very young and I'm pretty sure that he will end up playing more games for England than Sheringham and Shearer put together.'

So how can I be wrong R W S ? He's only 19, and perfectly capable of playing more than 114 games and scoring 41 goals. How can you be so sure he won't?

Scott

Chill out Scott, please.

In the history of England football no outfield player has managed more than 106 caps and the England scoring record is 49 (poor Lineker). I cannot be sure but my opinion is substantiated.

Anyway, enough multisport, already.

[Goatman]

Originally Posted by Rachael

No argument Goatman: some players are the exceptions that prove the rule.. and if a budding Tendulkar popped up in an Eng. U-15 match (are there such things) I trust we'd have him fast-tracked to the big-time just as quickly as is compatible with preparing him for all the **** that surrounds teenage talents these days (though that might mean exporting him to South Africa or New Zealand for 2-3 years: I can't see how ANY teenager could be ready for the sort of **** that today's young talents have to deal with).

Yay! Consensus! 2 serious points though:-

1) Michelak is likely to turn out to be one of the best attacking fly-halves ever to play the game, and will lead france to the world cup in 2007, and 2011 !

2) How do you tell he IS a Tendulkar? Unless he is an Indian dwarf that is?