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footballghana · 4 years ago

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Edmund Hottor: AC Milan to St Ives Town - FA Cup qualifying stories

Qualifying for the 2020-21 FA Cup continues this week with 234 non-league clubs scheduled to compete in the first qualifying round.

Some 160 teams who advanced from the preliminary round will be joined by 74 clubs who start their cup campaign.

There are three more qualifying rounds after this stage.

BBC Sport looks at some of the clubs, players and managers competing this week who hope to make it through to the first round proper on 7-8 November, when teams from League One and League Two enter.

From San Siro to St Ives

Edmund Hottor was living the dream when he was signed by AC Milan at the age of 17.

Training with the second team, the Ghanaian midfielder would often play practice games against the first team, sharing a pitch with the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Ronaldinho and Andrea Pirlo.

Now aged 27, Hottor plays for Cambridgeshire part-timers St Ives Town, who start their FA Cup campaign in Suffolk against Brantham Athletic on Tuesday.

"It's been quite a journey," said Hottor, who spent six years on the books of AC Milan without making a senior appearance for the seven-time European champions.

"It was a fantastic experience for me. I had a chance to train with such big names and I was learning a lot growing up as a teenager at AC Milan.

"I don't have any regrets even though I didn't get to play in Serie A."

Hottor was signed by AC Milan soon after playing in Serie B for Triestina. His CV also includes a short spell, in his early 20s, at Inter Milan where he left without making a senior appearance.

Having also played in Portugal and Malta, Hottor arrived in England in 2018 and turned out for Kettering Town and Banbury United before signing for St Ives, who play in the seventh-tier Southern League Premier Division Central, in December 2019.

"I came to England with no agent and I had to start from somewhere," he added. "I'm enjoying playing again."

Also at St Ives Town is 38-year-old Marc Richards, the former Port Vale, Northampton and Barnsley striker.

Back in dugout after cancer

Mark Fell knew something was wrong when he could not remember one of his team's wins - despite being at the game.

A few days later the 37-year-old Lancaster City boss was undergoing radiotherapy after being diagnosed with stomach cancer in November 2019.

Despite on-going treatment which involves a "small" operation in October, Fell is back in the dugout and preparing his seventh-tier side for Tuesday's home tie with Runcorn Town.

"It was identified quite quickly and they cut it out," said Fell, boss at Northern Premier League Premier Division Lancaster since October 2018.

"I hadn't been well for a while, I felt ill and was passing blood.

"We played Colne in a cup tie and just before that the doctor told me I needed some tests.

"We won but I don't remember the game. All I remember is telling my assistant Graham Lancashire 'I'm not right'."

Lancashire, the former Burnley, Wigan and Rochdale forward, took charge of the team while the manager underwent treatment.

Incredibly, Fell was in the dugout when Lancaster won 3-0 at Stafford Ranger on 21 December - and nearly fainted celebrating a goal.

"I was too keen to get back," he added. "I was OK after the physio gave me some water."

Teenager scores four

After receiving a text message to say he would be playing, 17-year-old Shane Temple made the most of his big moment on the FA Cup stage by scoring four goals for AFC Sudbury in the preliminary round.

The eighth-tier Suffolk club trailed Harborough Town 2-0 before Temple struck four times in the space of 22 minutes either side of half-time.

Temple is a part of the Isthmian League North Division club's successful academy.

"It's in our DNA to promote these younger players, Shane deserved his chance," AFC Sudbury boss Mark Morsley said.

After the tie, Temple was presented with a bottle of wine for his man of the match performance.

"I think it was handed very quickly to his dad," added Morsley, whose side have a trip to Lincolnshire to face Stamford on Tuesday.

'Man Utd's goals were dodgy'

It is five years since Scott Laird threatened to cause a major FA Cup upset.

Lining up against Manchester United, he put League One Preston ahead in a fifth-round tie at Deepdale before Louis van Gaal's side hit back to win 3-1.

Now player-assistant manager at Weston-super-Mare, Laird is hoping to inspire his team-mates to make it through the qualifying rounds.

"If there had been VAR back then I think Preston would have gone through," said Laird, 32, about that night at Deepdale on 16 February 2015.

"All three of United's goals were dodgy."

A veteran of more than 350 English Football League appearances, Laird has been assistant to Scott Bartlett at seventh-tier Weston-super-Mare since June 2019.

"I could have stayed in League Two, I had two or three offers but they were all one-year deals," added Laird, whose career also includes spells at Walsall, Forest Green Rovers, Scunthorpe and Torquay.

"I didn't think it was right to keep moving my family around - we'd moved 11 times in 16 years during my career. I have a daughter now and I didn't want to do that to her.

"My role at Weston-super-Mare allows me to carry on playing as well as coach. It's a great opportunity to learn what I want to do in the future which is to go into management."

Laird is the son of former Weston-super-Mare manager Craig Laird, and his brothers Jamie, Craig Jr and Callum have also appeared for the club, who play in the Southern League Premier Division South.

He also has a coaching role at a nearby school.

"I'm loving it," he said. "I'm learning so much. It's nice to be home - my wife and I have moved back to the area where we grew up."

Weston-super-Mare begin their FA Cup campaign at Cowes Sports on Tuesday.

Source: bbc.com

source: https://footballghana.com/

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tipsoctopus · 6 years ago

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Many Leeds fans tip promotion bid's unsung hero to perform minor miracle after squad setback

Leeds fans on Twitter have been hoping that Rob Price can work his magic once again and get Barry Douglas back on the pitch at Elland Road before the end of the season.

Douglas has been ruled out for the rest of the campaign with a medial ligament injury but fans are struggling to believe he won’t feature again with Price’s record of getting players back ahead of schedule.

Price, whose official title is ‘Head of Medicine and Performance’, has been busier than ever this season as Leeds have had an astounding number of injuries under Marcelo Bielsa.

The physio has become somewhat of a cult hero in Yorkshire, with fans taking note of the excellent job he has been doing in getting players back sooner than expected.

Leeds are yet to have a fully available squad for a match this season, so Price really has played a massive unsung role in helping the Whites in their push for promotion. Fans are now hoping he can do it again by getting Douglas back before the season is up.

Here’s what Leeds fans had to say on Twitter…

Rob Price will have him back next week

— FocusOnLeeds (@FocusOnLeeds) April 2, 2019

Two to three months. Rob price loves a challenge. Be back for the Ipswich game #Lufc https://t.co/WxJPMND5rQ

— mathew hibbert ?? (@matteohib94) April 2, 2019

Translated to: When Rob Price sees him he’ll be back in action in two to three weeks.

— Scutcha (@scutcha78) April 2, 2019

Guaranteed he’s back for Villa. Rob Price is eyeing up Halmes kneecap as we speak. @TheSquareBall https://t.co/gKLP1dTLG9

— DB_Carajo (@DB_Kahuna) April 2, 2019

He will be back for Wigan (H) if Rob price has anything to do with it

— Dibble (@MattDibble1996) April 2, 2019

Rob Price to have Douglas back for Ipswich. Nailed on #lufc

— Mike (@yonyteboah) April 2, 2019

He’ll be back in a month with rob price and his team

— Luke townend (@Luketownend2) April 2, 2019

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danielmakin-blog1 · 6 years ago

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17/09/2018 - Week 2 (Wigan Warriors Scholarship Internship)

The players are now on week 2 of their training program. All of the older and more experienced athletes are progressing really well. However, some of the younger athletes are still adapting to the demands of the movements. I am still making my way around the gym addressing any athletes who I believe have some issues getting into certain positions. One athlete came over to me during the session and complained about their hips being tight. I knew exactly what to do with them. I used critical thinking to address the athlete, I posed questions about how they had sustained their tight hips, after the questioning I decided that they did not need to be referred to the physio as I could deal with the situation on my own and I knew which mobility exercise and which stretches were necessary for this athlete to perform. I felt confident in my ability as a coach that I could deal with the situation myself and by doing so I could tell that this athlete gained my trust and if they had any issues in the future, they could feel free to ask me any questions they have.

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ultrasfcb-blog · 7 years ago

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Dean Richards and Newcastle Falcons: From Premiership strugglers to title contenders

Brains and brawn: Dave Walder and Dean Richards have given Falcons silk and metal of their squad

Aviva Premiership semi-final – Exeter Chiefs v Newcastle Falcons Venue: Sandy Park Date: Saturday, 19 Could Kick-off: 15:30 BST Protection: Updates on BBC native radio and dwell scores on the BBC Sport web site

When Dean Richards took over at Newcastle Falcons in the summertime of 2012, each events had been at a crossroads.

After the Falcons loved Premiership success within the early years of professionalism, the glories of the late 1990s had been light recollections.

Years of battling to keep away from the drop had taken their toll, and the inaugural champions had been to begin that season within the Championship after relegation.

Richards – enormous in each popularity and stature as a participant and coach – had been to the heights of a number of European successes with Leicester and turned Harlequins from a Championship outfit to a top-flight contender.

Nonetheless, the scandal of ‘Bloodgate’ – utilizing a blood capsule to facilitate a tactical substitution by which he hoped to realize a bonus – noticed him sacked by Quins and disgraced, bringing his profession to a shuddering halt.

Alone, each Newcastle and Richards had been within the doldrums.

However collectively they’ve blossomed; reinvigorated and reborn.

On the eve of the membership’s first play-off semi-final in Premiership historical past, BBC Sport seems to be on the components behind the Falcons’ flight of fantasy.

The backroom

This 12 months’s success noticed Richards accumulate the Premiership director of rugby of the 12 months prize, whereas winger Vereniki Goneva received participant of the 12 months – reward for the tangible enchancment made throughout the board.

Richards’ ‘Midas contact’ at Newcastle was not a right away one, however the measured overhaul of the membership has been affected person.

The 54-year-old arrived with trusted lieutenant John Wells – a colleague from his England and Leicester days – and their mixture made Falcons a more durable proposition, constructing a close-knit tradition and workforce ethic.

Including the craft to their graft was achieved by the addition of former England, Falcons and Wasps fly-half Dave Walder.

The 40-year-old has been an impressed appointment since his return to Tyneside in 2014, was promoted to go coach final summer time and has helped ship a taking part in type that has entertained and introduced success in equal measure.

Extra wins, extra strive bonus factors and the next league place all coincided with Dave Walder’s appointment

Having the boldness to delegate and permit others to take management comes with expertise, and Richards takes extra of an outline of the membership.

“As a participant I used to be unconventional,” Richards informed BBC Radio 5 dwell. “As a director of rugby I nonetheless am just a little bit. However there are boundaries you do not cross.

“These boundaries are much less and fewer by way of teaching or director of rugby type. I am very completely different to most. I am not a hands-on type, however a steering the ship type.

“There’s quite a lot of pushing and shoving from behind.”

Richards has additionally ensured there’s a continuity and a relevance to the personnel, with one other ex-Falcon in scrum coach Micky Ward and lock Scott McLeod taking duty for the line-outs.

‘Award reveals exceptional longevity’

Evaluation – Chris Jones, BBC rugby union reporter

Richards final received the director of rugby award in 2001 when answerable for Leicester, so the actual fact he’s scooping it nearly 20 years later is an indication of his exceptional longevity and his capacity to reinvent his squads, and himself as a coach.

Very similar to when he was at Harlequins, Richards has overseen a long-term plan at Newcastle, with canny recruitment and wise delegation two of his many strengths.

Richards insists the England job will not be for him; the Rugby Soccer Union could at all times marvel what may need been.

Recruitment

Matthew Burke was a megastar, however even he couldn’t deliver Falcons the success they take pleasure in now

That includes an alumni that features England World Cup winner Jonny Wilkinson, Australia full-back Matthew Burke and New Zealand front-rower Carl Hayman to call however three, it’s not as if Newcastle followers have been pressured to just accept second-best by way of gamers over the previous 20 years.

Nonetheless, not even these legends of the sport have triggered the identical success as the present crop at Kingston Park.

Season-by-season enchancment has made the Falcons a much more engaging prospect, whereas the Richards impact continues to be a draw for prime gamers.

“We’re assured in what we’re doing, we’re assured in coaching, our evaluation, our preparation and that brings a extra relaxed really feel,” England worldwide Mark Wilson informed BBC Newcastle.

“We all know we’re in good fingers and everybody’s mucking in and doing their jobs.

“If you happen to take care of what you do and what you deliver to the membership, all of us come collectively and reap the rewards.”

The combo of home-grown abilities comparable to Wilson, current England call-up Gary Graham and Chris Harris have dovetailed fantastically with rigorously chosen imports – Sinoti Sinoti, Goneva and scrum-half Sonatane Takulua.

Final summer time additionally noticed the shrewd seize of ‘local-boy executed good’ Toby Flood, who having progressed his profession away from Newcastle with giants Leicester, returned from a stint with Toulouse to information the Falcons.

“It’s important to purchase into Dean,” ex-England winger Ugo Monye informed BBC Sport’s Rugby Union Weekly podcast. “You won’t be his greatest mate. It’s important to put your ego to 1 facet, he does not need to get on with everybody and he should not.

“He is so cocksure about what he desires to do, however he will get outcomes.”

Already lined up for subsequent season are Leicester’s ball-carrying prop Logovi’i Mulipola and London Irish centre Jonny Williams, as Richards continues to tinker and improve the participant pool.

Mentality

Vereniki Goneva’s Alan Shearer celebration at St James’ Park was one of many enduring recollections of the season

Not solely are Flood and Goneva elite gamers with worldwide expertise, however additionally they got here from successful cultures and have unfold that successful mentality all through the squad.

This marketing campaign has seen Falcons break data on and off the pitch, with greater than 30,000 followers attending a regular-season recreation at Newcastle United’s St James’ Park and the securing of Champions Cup rugby earlier than their top-four efforts which ensured a highest end in 20 years.

Their victory at Leicester within the penultimate recreation was Newcastle’s first at Welford Highway in 21 years, fuelled by perception they’ll match anybody within the Premiership elite.

“It is successful the massive video games, being aggressive within the huge matches,” Richards informed BBC Newcastle.

“We’re doing that, we have proven we are able to beat the massive sides from Exeter to Northampton, however in the end we’ve got to beat Wasps and Saracens.”

As a lot as Richards places perception into his gamers, there’s additionally the aspect of his character, his will to win, that has one other impact on the folks underneath his administration.

“He does instil a worry issue which does get one of the best out of not simply the gamers, however the video analysts, the physio,” Monye mentioned.

“If the physio says two weeks, Dean will likely be wanting him again in per week.

“He’s at all times pushing the envelope, maybe that was a few of his downfall – take a look at ‘Bloodgate’. He’ll endlessly be remembered for that, and I hope that is not the defining second in his profession.

“It should not be the defining second, as a result of he is executed so many good issues.”

Semore’s success

Semore Kurdi (left) helped take Newcastle to Philadelphia to face Saracens in a showcase league recreation

Richards, Flood, Goneva – all key aspects to the Falcons’ revival, however none of whom can be at Newcastle if weren’t for the impression of proprietor Semore Kurdi.

Little is thought concerning the ‘Geordie Jordanian’, who established his enterprise within the north east however has remained nameless because the membership he bankrolls charged up the Premiership desk.

He has been helped by Richards’ rugby union nous and the enterprise experience of former Wigan rugby league chief govt Mick Hogan in off-the-field issues.

Kurdi’s intervention when Dave Thompson sought to promote the membership in 2011 has coincided with the Falcons’ upturn.

Plans are in place for a brand new stand on the North Terrace of the bottom, because the off-field facet of the enterprise seeks to maintain tempo with their on-field counterparts.

“It in all probability would not have survived if the reality be recognized,” Richards informed BBC Radio 5 dwell.

“The membership was on its final legs and also you solely have to take a look at the renovations throughout the membership and the way in which the membership goes to grasp it is gone a good distance.”

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365footballorg-blog · 7 years ago

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Secret notes, surprise tactics and Watson's leap - The inside story of Wigan’s FA Cup win

When Manchester City’s players went downstairs on the morning of the 2013 FA Cup final, the televisions in their hotel were showing wall-to-wall coverage of reports that their manager Roberto Mancini was about to be sacked.

As far as last-minute preparations for Wembley go, it was not exactly ideal.

In contrast, the Wigan squad had woken up to find inspirational messages from their team-mates that had been pushed under the doors of their rooms.

It was one of a number of psychological “masterstrokes” by Latics boss Roberto Martinez that, combined with innovative tactics, helped a team battling relegation bamboozle their superstar opponents at Wembley and secure a famous last-gasp victory through Ben Watson’s brilliant header, just six months after he had broken his leg.

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There was not much of a party at the end of it for anyone, though.

Wigan celebrated with Lucozade because alcohol was banned on the coach home and just three days later they were relegated from the Premier League – hours after Mancini did indeed lose his job.

This is the story of that incredible week, told by the players who were part of one of the greatest FA Cup final shocks in the competition’s 148-year history, as well as the coaches and staff who helped to mastermind it.

Five years on, as the two teams prepare to meet again in the fifth round of this year’s competition, BBC Sport looks back at how events unfolded.

The big day: Martinez’s managerial masterstroke

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Big-spending City, who had won the FA Cup in 2011 and the Premier League in 2012, were second in the table on the day of the 2013 final. Wigan, who had never won a major trophy in their 81-year history and had only been in the Football League since 1978, were 18th. These facts combined to make Mancini’s side massive favourites to collect another trophy.

Joleon Lescott, Manchester City defender: “It was a little bit weird on the morning of the final. We were eating breakfast together and the TVs were on with Sky Sports News reporting that Mancini was going to get sacked.

“In a scenario like that, you would normally hear about five or six potential new managers and it could be any of them so you think it is just speculation, but this time Manuel Pellegrini was the only name being mentioned.

“It seemed such a left-field situation to us players and it was so well documented that we were left thinking that it must be true.”

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Gary Caldwell, Wigan’s club captain: “We had been seeing a psychologist in the build-up to the final, and the day before the game we did an exercise where the players and staff had to write down why we were proud to be walking out at Wembley with each other. We handed it back and did not know what it was going to be used for.

“That night or the next morning, everyone found an envelope under their door. We opened it to find everything that our team-mates and the staff had written about us, on strips of paper.

“It was quite emotional and very powerful. You really felt a sense of the team spirit and that was a fantastic thing to do right before the final.”

Graham Barrow, Wigan’s first-team coach: “Nobody signed any of it, so you did not know who had written what, but you obviously had some idea. It made everyone feel 10ft tall.

“It was a masterstroke by Roberto – it was brilliant timing to bring in the psychologist when he did. More than anything, he got the players thinking, and it probably brought them together at exactly the right time.”

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Michael Finnigan, the performance psychologist who worked with Wigan before their semi-final and final: “Everyone was involved, including the kit men and the physios, so each of the Wigan players read around 30 statements that morning about what everyone thought of them.

“The aim of that was for each player to read them and think ‘I am going to win the cup for all of you’.

“I’d used it before, when I’d worked with Bolton, before the Championship play-off final in 2001 when they beat Preston. Bolton won that game 3-0 and I knew that for a long time Sam Allardyce, who was Wanderers boss then, still carried his envelope with his messages in it around with him. Gudni Bergsson, their centre-half, used to keep his in his boot bag.”

The final team talk: “You dreamed of this as a kid. Close your eyes, and imagine it”

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Seven of City’s starting XI had featured in their 2011 FA Cup final win. None of Wigan’s players had played in an FA Cup final before.

Wigan skipper Emmerson Boyce: “‘Believe’ was the big theme right through that cup run. One of the last things Roberto talked to us about before the game was about how we had dreamed we would be playing at Wembley in a game like this when we were growing up.

“He told us to close our eyes and imagine it. I was thinking about how I would pretend I had won the FA Cup when I was just a kid playing in the park.

“Roberto also said that we had family here watching us and this was a one-off opportunity to go and make history and leave a legacy for ourselves as well as Wigan as a football club.

“There was also a big onus on David and Goliath. We were the underdogs and no-one was expecting anything from us, so we had nothing to lose.

“That was Roberto’s man-management style all over. He was fantastic – he took all the pressure off us and made sure everyone was relaxed and calm. He just wanted us to play without fear.

“Then, before we went into the tunnel, he asked us all if we thought we deserved the trophy. I think the way we played showed that we all did.”

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Graham Barrow: “Playing the semi-final at Wembley definitely helped us. We had come down early before that match and walked around because the stadium was new to us. We got rid of that before the final and we could concentrate on the game.”

Emmerson Boyce: “The Wigan chairman Dave Whelan led us out on to the pitch and he spoke to us right before the game. Obviously we all knew about his broken leg in the 1960 final – people would always joke to us in the build-up that he was telling that story again.

“But this time he just said that was the memory he had of Wembley so we had to go out there and create a memory for ourselves that will be absolutely fantastic, and leave here with no regrets.

“Then he shook everyone’s hand before we went out. It was probably his proudest moment to walk back out on that pitch and to lead his team, his club, out at Wembley for an FA Cup final after what had happened to him there 53 years earlier.”

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Emmerson Boyce: “I walked out with Joseph Kendrick, who was our lucky mascot for the final, in my arms. To be honest, he calmed me down because there was just a wall of noise.

“The club had a long connection with Joseph, who has a genetic disorder that affects his immune system, and his charity ‘Joseph’s Goal’, so we all knew him and his parents very well. I also related to his situation personally because a couple of years earlier my son Jayden had gone into hospital and had been on a ventilator, and I’d had a peek into what his parents go through every single day.

“I was meant to push him out in his wheelchair but I just wanted to pick Joseph up and take him with us.

“He was not just our mascot, he was one of us and the courage he had shown epitomised our togetherness and belief as a team. That was what that cup run was all about – that it doesn’t matter if the odds are against you.”

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The tactics: “No-one had done what Wigan did against us before”

Joleon Lescott: “Although the build-up was unusual with the Mancini stories, there was no way it affected our preparation for the game. It was always about winning at City, and we wanted another trophy.

“But that season, Wigan had already pushed us very close. A few weeks before the final we beat them 1-0 at Etihad Stadium[1] but they had a strange formation, where their wingers did not drop back and defend.”

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Gary Caldwell: “That was the night we all knew we could win the cup because we played so well. We used the same tactics in the FA Cup final, with three at the back and wing-backs in a kind of 3-4-1-2 formation.”

Joleon Lescott: “It just threw us. We were winning most games because we were better than anyone else, and tactically we were good enough to hold out and defend – but no-one had done what Wigan were doing.”

Graham Barrow: “We were ready tactically as well as mentally. It would not surprise me if Roberto does well at the World Cup this summer with Belgium because he had this knack of preparing a team really well for the big occasion, for the one-off games like he did with this one.”

Gary Caldwell: “We always tried to keep the ball and attack – Martinez wanted us to play football, but we also had to respect how good City were, so our wing-backs dropped into a five at the back when they had possession.

“That meant our centre-backs could stay narrow and there were no gaps between them, which was important because we knew Carlos Tevez would try to feed on little balls between them from David Silva.

“Up the pitch, Shaun Maloney had a huge role in making the system work. He was dropping back in defensive situations to block the middle of the pitch but he also gave us an attacking outlet. He made a massive effort physically and also provided some quality going forward.

“Then, with the strikers, we split them instead of playing two down the middle. When City attacked us with their full-backs, we had a counter-attack threat in both channels – Callum with his pace and trickery down the right and Kone with his pace and power down the left.”

Graham Barrow: “It pretty much all went to plan. City started the game really well and Carlos Tevez had a great chance early on that Joel Robles saved with his feet, but that calmed us down and it was almost like scoring a goal because it gave everyone such a lift. We grew into the game from there.”

Back from a broken leg: The story behind Watson’s winner

Watson had broken his leg in November 2012 and did not return to action until the start of May. He came off the bench with nine minutes remaining, and three minutes later City were reduced to 10 men when Pablo Zabaleta was sent off. In the 91st minute, Watson rose to meet Shaun Maloney’s corner at the near post and planted his header into the back of the net to win the FA Cup.

Gary Caldwell: “I remember Ben was getting ready to go on and (goalkeeper) Mike Pollit told him ‘go on, you can make yourself a hero here’.

“It was a brilliant header but it was a fantastic leap too and there was a story behind it because of all the work he had done on improving his standing jump when he was recovering from his injury. That kind of goes unnoticed.”

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Gaz Piper, Wigan’s strength and conditioning coach: “If you watch the goal in slow-motion, Ben took off on the leg he had broken.

“When I started working with him, he couldn’t even walk. He had spent so long working on his jumping and landing, single leg and double leg, so it was fitting that he got his reward for working so hard on those tiny things that a lot of players take for granted.

“When I watch the goal back now it is even more emotional. He is such an incredible character. I don’t think other players would have made it back from that injury in time for the final but Ben’s enthusiasm and positivity were what carried him over the line.

“We grew an incredible friendship over his six or seven months of rehab when we spent every day together, living in each other’s pockets, so it meant even more.

“After the game we just had a moment together and had a bit of a hug. He kind of said “that was for you” – it sounds a bit cheesy but it wasn’t like that. We both knew what he had been through and I had been a big part of that.”

The celebration: Lucozade, card games and a coach journey

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Speaking about Wigan’s FA Cup win in 2015, Martinez said: “Graham Barrow is someone who is always calm and in control and I can remember him running towards the middle of the pitch at Wembley and then coming towards me. He had a tear in his eye and he said ‘we just won the FA Cup’ in a way he could not believe it.”

Graham Barrow: “My wife and daughter were in the posh seats behind the dug-outs but my son had gone with some friends and he was on the opposite side of the pitch. I could see him and that was who I was running towards. To be part of an FA Cup-winning team was very special for me – it was a day that was everything I dreamed it would be, and more.”

Gary Caldwell: “I had not played a minute of our cup run. I had some problems with my hip and I was taking injections just to train – I had played against Swansea on the Tuesday before the final and had two injections just to play.

“I could barely walk until the Friday and the manager knew how unfit I was but I was very close to Roberto and I said ‘if you need me, I am here’ because I was going to do anything I could to contribute.

“I think any club captain would say that when you don’t play in a game, you feel a bit awkward at the time it comes to get the trophy but Graeme Jones (Wigan’s assistant manager) came up to me after the game and said you have been a massive part of this club, go up with Emmerson and lift it together.”

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Emmerson Boyce: “When the final whistle went, there was a sense of disbelief. We were thinking ‘what do we do now?’

“I remember telling Dave Whelan[2] when we went up to collect the trophy that he had a new story to tell now. I said: ‘you haven’t got to wait any longer, you have finally got your cup’.

“I had to go and take a drugs test after the game and pretty soon after that we had to leave Wembley. There was no alcohol on the coach home because we had a big game against Arsenal on the Tuesday. We had Lucozade instead of champagne because we were preparing for that.

“It was a three-and-a-half hour journey and when we got back to Wigan it was a case of going home and resting up. It wasn’t how we thought our celebrations would go, let’s put it that way.”

Gary Caldwell: “Looking back, it would have been good if we could have stayed down in London and had a little party with our families because we didn’t really see them much after the game.

“We spoke to them on the phone when we were travelling back and their coach was rocking – it was a bit rowdy compared to ours. We were just playing cards, supping juices, but we had the FA Cup sitting next to us. It was a bit surreal.”

The relegation: A parade, and City sack their manager

Manchester City announced manager Roberto Mancini had been sacked with a statement on their website at 10:22pm on Monday, 13 May. Wigan were relegated on the Tuesday evening after losing 4-1 at Emirates Stadium. Their final game of the season was a 2-2 draw with Aston Villa on Sunday 19 May and they had an open-top parade through Wigan the following day.

The Latics gave Everton permission to speak to Roberto Martinez on 28 May and he was appointed Toffees boss on 5 June. Manuel Pellegrini was appointed City manager on 14 June.

Graham Barrow: “The killer was the day after the final. We reported into training for a recovery session and every result had gone against us. The four teams immediately above us all picked up at least a point. It really did end any hope we had.

Premier League table on FA Cup final morning:

Position Team Games Played Points 15 Sunderland 36 38 16 Norwich City 36 38 17 Newcastle United 36 38 18 Wigan Athletic 36 35 19 Reading 36 28 20 Queens Park Rangers 36 25

Premier League table the morning after Wigan’s FA Cup win:

Position Team Games Played Points 15 Fulham 37 40 16 Aston Villa 37 40 17 Sunderland 37 39 18 Wigan Athletic 36 35 19 Reading 36 28 20 Queens Park Rangers 37 25

Gary Caldwell: “We knew we had to win our last two games to stay up, starting at Arsenal. We went in and trained on the Sunday and all the players were tired or carrying injuries and trying to play through them.

“With such a small squad, ultimately it caught up with us in the end and our cup run cost us our Premier League status. I hear people saying all the time ‘would you swap it’ but I don’t think you would – you are in football to win things, and we won the FA Cup.”

Emmerson Boyce: “It was a very strange week with a huge low so soon after winning at Wembley. We didn’t really know how to act at the parade because we had just gone down but the thousands of people who came out showed it was all right for us to celebrate.”

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Graham Barrow: “Probably the best thing about the way that season finished is that we had the parade to end things on a high.

“I know Wigan very well and we were coming up round the hospital and we had only seen about three people. I was looking at our goalkeeping coach Inaki Bergara and going ‘this is it?’ Then we got nearer the town centre and turned a corner and the reception we got was just mind-blowing.

“I think if you asked most Wigan people if they could choose between staying up and winning the FA Cup, they would take the cup any day. We won it and nobody can ever take that away from us.”

References

^ 1-0 at Etihad Stadium (www.bbc.co.uk)

^ Dave Whelan (www.bbc.co.uk)

BBC Sport – Football

Secret notes, surprise tactics and Watson's leap – The inside story of Wigan’s FA Cup win was originally published on 365 Football

#Inside #leap #notes #secret #story #surprise #tactics’#Watson&039s #Wigan’s

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allthepiesblog-blog · 8 years ago

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Low point of the season

Castleford are playing some great rugby this season; setting the standard. Nevertheless, I expected us to give them a game last night. The last couple of weeks has proved that they’re not unbeatable.

I should have twigged before kick off, when Anthony Gelling was getting physio treatment on the pitch in the warm up. He clearly wasn’t fit, and shouldn’t have played. What followed was the most disappointing 80 mins of rugby from a Wigan team I’ve experienced since Catalan beat us in the Challenge Cup semi final at the Halliwell Jones Stadium in 2007.

Yes, you heard me. Worse even than Wakefield last season. At least there were reasons for that loss. Rumours had circulated in the week running up to the game of a sickness bug going round the camp, which were confirmed afterwards. That, plus a few injuries, led to us fielding a vastly inexperienced team.

No such excuses last night. On paper, it was a pretty strong Wigan team. Ok, no Tommy (broken jaw), no Oli Gildart (back), no John Bateman (shoulder) and no Tony Clubb (kidney problems) - plus the longer term Tomkins and Manfredi - but we have a strong squad, and I thought the team looked strong enough to compete.

The first few minutes suggested Wigan’s game plan was to focus down the middle and play out a forwards battle. Sadly for us, Castleford’s game plan was to bypass the middle, and go around us. And it worked. 12 points down in the blink of an eye, and clearly in for a tough night. In truth, the game was already over.

As much as Cas are good, we were awful. Our right edge defence disintegrated. I’ve no idea why Gelling got the nod over Forsyth. He clearly wasn’t ready to play. And Joel was either hopelessly out of position for their first two tries, or not 100% fit himself. Which begs the question ‘how many players went into the game carrying knocks or minor injuries?’ I suspect several.

I don’t think you can afford to risk half fit players at this level. It’s naive to think the end result would be anything other than the thrashing we got, especially against the best team in the competition right now. And there was no reason to do so either. Yes we’ve got probably more than our fair share of injuries right now, but as far as I know Tierney, Forsyth, Gregson and Connor Farrell are all fit and could have played.

And I don’t buy the argument that a half fit *insert name of high profile player* is better than a fully fit *insert name of young player*. That just isn’t true. The only player I’d possibly ever risk in that situation would be Sean O'Loughlin. Our captain is a talisman. His presence on the pitch lifts our performance. And as a forward, if he can’t last the 80, he can be replaced from the bench. But other than him though, I don’t see why you would risk semi-fit players.

So what now for Wigan? We need to bounce back for sure, but it won’t be easy. Even if we can sure up our defence over the next few games (which must be the priority), our attack needs plenty of work too. With players like Burgess, Farrell and more recently, Liam Marshall all firing, we’ve shown we can break the line and score from distance on occasions. But it’s our failure to convert attacking pressure into points in recent weeks that worries me. We rely on George Williams’ short kicks far too much, and although we pass the ball out wide, we usually fail to create an opening. Our deep arcing attacking structure has gone, and nobody’s running any angles - in short, our attack has become flat and predictable.

We picked up another couple of notable injuries last night, when George Williams (knee) and Ben Flower (Achilies) followed Gelling from the pitch and didn’t return. So changes going into the game with Salford on Friday are inevitable, but I hope Shaun Wane doesn’t shy away from making changes anyway, after that performance. I don’t believe anyone should be an automatic pick - you’ve got to earn your places lads!

There’s much to do if we’re going to turn things around enough to challenge for silverware again this season.

#wigan warriors #castleford tigers #anthony gelling #sean o'loughlin #george williams #ben flower #fitness #injuries

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gmphysio · 1 year ago

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gmphysio · 1 year ago

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Trusted Physiotherapists Near Me for Future Wellness

Discover the healing potential of Acupuncture Wigan at GM Physio. Our experienced practitioners specialize in acupuncture services, offering relief from pain, stress reduction, and overall well-being enhancement. Trust GM Physio for effective acupuncture treatments in Wigan, prioritizing your health and vitality. Experience the holistic benefits of acupuncture, transforming your well-being with our expert care.

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gmphysio · 2 years ago

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Physiotherapist Or Osteopath: Which One Do You Need In Wigan & Leigh Area?

At George Morris Physiotherapy Clinic, all the members of the physio team work in tandem with the osteopath. They have existed for 20 years and are experts in all the latest techniques and even chiropractic manipulation. The best part about them is that they have exclusive expertise in all parts of the body.

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tipsoctopus · 6 years ago

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Send out the SOS, Roman: It's time for Chelsea to turn to unlikeliest of saviours

Chelsea are in the throes of a crisis.

A defeat to Manchester City is not normally something to panic about, particularly not this Manchester City team, so irrepressible and effervescent under Pep Guardiola.

But Chelsea were taken to bits on Sunday, battered 6-0 at the Etihad Stadium in a game when Sergio Aguero also missed a sitter and hit the crossbar. Had it been 8-0, perhaps Maurizio Sarri would no longer be in a job.

As it is, he stormed down the tunnel on the final whistle, cigarette butt between his teeth, refusing to shake the hand of Pep Guardiola. Afterwards, he aimed a pointed jibe at owner Roman Abramovich, claiming that it will be nice to see him, as he never hears from him.

“If the president calls, I’ll be happy, seeing as I never hear from him,” he said, per Sky Sports. “To be honest, I don’t know what to expect.”

Sarri has been in charge for less than a season but already it appears that the experiment has failed. Sarri refuses to adapt, refuses to change his tactics. Sarri-ball was much heralded at the start of the season as the key to unlocking the top four, to transforming Chelsea back into title challengers. Instead, it has been a quagmire of boring football, poor results and a slide down the table.

The Blues are now sixth, by virtue of goal difference after their monumental defeat on Sunday. They are only a point behind Manchester United but they are 10 off third-placed Tottenham and 15 off the top.

If a change is to be made, if Abramovich is to send out an SOS to managers in a bid to rescue Chelsea’s season and secure qualification for the Champions League, there is only one man he can call: Jose Mourinho.

The Portuguese is out of work again, of course, after leaving United and it must be mentioned that the Red Devils are in better shape without him. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has yet to lose in the dugout and the mood at Old Trafford has been lightened, the curtains were thrown back and light let in.

Yet what Solskjaer has done at United – taken a club he knows inside out back to their roots – is exactly what Mourinho could do at Chelsea.

Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below…

He has been there before and he has done it all. He won three Premier League titles across two spells at the club, the FA Cup and three League Cups. Sarri has the chance to add his own League Cup medal to the Chelsea winners’ cabinet but that does not appear very likely, as the Blues again face Manchester City in the final.

Mourinho has the knowledge, the gusto and surely the motivation to come in and transform this Chelsea team.

They have a talented striker in Gonzalo Higuain again, who is akin to the likes of Didier Drogba and Diego Costa, both of whom were essential to previous Mourinho sides at Chelsea, and Eden Hazard is still around.

Of course, Mourinho left the club under a cloud. The incident with the physio, Eva Carneiro, was regrettable and has tarnished the Portuguese’s reputation, perhaps indefinitely.

But few can argue with his results. This is not to say that he would necessarily be a caretaker but the carrot of besting United, the latest club to show him the door, should be all the motivation Mourinho needs.

There were some strange decisions made towards the end of his reign and his falling out with Paul Pogba is another black mark against his name.

At the end of the day, however, Chelsea are unlikely to care.

They have had a massive turnover of managers in recent years and they have continued to win. Mourinho, love him or loathe him, has been central to that.

Parachuting him in for a rescue job may not exactly be the sort of welcome Mourinho would want – he is not Sam Allardyce, routinely saving teams from relegation.

But taking Chelsea above United, into the Champions League, and restoring his reputation at a club where he was once adored is a hell of a sales pitch.

Abramovich should, at the very least, ask the question.

He knows Mourinho well, and their working relationship has paid handsome dividends in the past.

If Sarri goes, we should see the third coming of one of the greatest and most controversial managers of all time.

from FootballFanCast.com http://bit.ly/2N0ehL6 via IFTTT from Blogger http://bit.ly/2N05Tvl via IFTTT

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ultrasfcb-blog · 7 years ago

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Dean Richards and Newcastle Falcons: From Premiership strugglers to title contenders

Brains and brawn: Dave Walder and Dean Richards have given Falcons silk and steel in their squad

Aviva Premiership semi-final – Exeter Chiefs v Newcastle Falcons Venue: Sandy Park Date: Saturday, 19 May Kick-off: 15:30 BST Coverage: Updates on BBC local radio and live scores on the BBC Sport website

When Dean Richards took over at Newcastle Falcons in the summer of 2012, both parties were at a crossroads.

After the Falcons enjoyed Premiership success in the early years of professionalism, the glories of the late 1990s were faded memories.

Years of battling to avoid the drop had taken their toll, and the inaugural champions were to start that season in the Championship after relegation.

Richards – huge in both reputation and stature as a player and coach – had been to the heights of multiple European successes with Leicester and turned Harlequins from a Championship outfit to a top-flight contender.

However, the scandal of ‘Bloodgate’ – using a blood capsule to facilitate a tactical substitution in which he hoped to gain an advantage – saw him sacked by Quins and disgraced, bringing his career to a shuddering halt.

Alone, both Newcastle and Richards were in the doldrums.

But together they have blossomed; reinvigorated and reborn.

On the eve of the club’s first play-off semi-final in Premiership history, BBC Sport looks at the factors behind the Falcons’ flight of fantasy.

The backroom

This year’s success saw Richards collect the Premiership director of rugby of the year prize, while winger Vereniki Goneva won player of the year – reward for the tangible improvement made across the board.

Richards’ ‘Midas touch’ at Newcastle was not an immediate one, but the measured overhaul of the club has been patient.

The 54-year-old arrived with trusted lieutenant John Wells – a colleague from his England and Leicester days – and their combination made Falcons a tougher proposition, building a close-knit culture and team ethic.

Adding the craft to their graft was achieved by the addition of former England, Falcons and Wasps fly-half Dave Walder.

The 40-year-old has been an inspired appointment since his return to Tyneside in 2014, was promoted to head coach last summer and has helped deliver a playing style that has entertained and brought success in equal measure.

More wins, more try bonus points and a higher league position all coincided with Dave Walder’s appointment

Having the confidence to delegate and allow others to take control comes with experience, and Richards takes more of an overview of the club.

“As a player I was unconventional,” Richards told BBC Radio 5 live. “As a director of rugby I still am a little bit. But there are boundaries you don’t cross.

“Those boundaries are less and less in terms of coaching or director of rugby style. I’m very different to most. I’m not a hands-on style, but a steering the ship style.

“There’s a lot of pushing and shoving from behind.”

Richards has also ensured there is a continuity and a relevance to the personnel, with another ex-Falcon in scrum coach Micky Ward and lock Scott McLeod taking responsibility for the line-outs.

‘Award shows remarkable longevity’

Analysis – Chris Jones, BBC rugby union reporter

Richards last won the director of rugby award in 2001 when in charge of Leicester, so the fact he is scooping it almost two decades later is a sign of his remarkable longevity and his ability to reinvent his squads, and himself as a coach.

Much like when he was at Harlequins, Richards has overseen a long-term plan at Newcastle, with canny recruitment and sensible delegation two of his many strengths.

Richards insists the England job is not for him; the Rugby Football Union may always wonder what might have been.

Recruitment

Matthew Burke was a megastar, but even he could not bring Falcons the success they enjoy now

Featuring an alumni that includes England World Cup winner Jonny Wilkinson, Australia full-back Matthew Burke and New Zealand front-rower Carl Hayman to name but three, it is not as if Newcastle fans have been forced to accept second-best in terms of players over the past 20 years.

However, not even those legends of the game have triggered the same success as the current crop at Kingston Park.

Season-by-season improvement has made the Falcons a far more attractive prospect, while the Richards effect is still a draw for top players.

“We’re confident in what we’re doing, we’re confident in training, our analysis, our preparation and that brings a more relaxed feel,” England international Mark Wilson told BBC Newcastle.

“We know we’re in good hands and everyone’s mucking in and doing their jobs.

“If you look after what you do and what you bring to the club, we all come together and reap the rewards.”

The mix of home-grown talents such as Wilson, recent England call-up Gary Graham and Chris Harris have dovetailed beautifully with carefully selected imports – Sinoti Sinoti, Goneva and scrum-half Sonatane Takulua.

Last summer also saw the shrewd capture of ‘local-boy done good’ Toby Flood, who having progressed his career away from Newcastle with giants Leicester, returned from a stint with Toulouse to guide the Falcons.

“You have to buy into Dean,” ex-England winger Ugo Monye told BBC Sport’s Rugby Union Weekly podcast. “You might not be his best mate. You have to put your ego to one side, he doesn’t want to get on with everyone and he shouldn’t.

“He’s so cocksure about what he wants to do, but he gets results.”

Already lined up for next season are Leicester’s ball-carrying prop Logovi’i Mulipola and London Irish centre Jonny Williams, as Richards continues to tinker and upgrade the player pool.

Mentality

Vereniki Goneva’s Alan Shearer celebration at St James’ Park was one of the enduring memories of the season

Not only are Flood and Goneva elite players with international experience, but they also came from winning cultures and have spread that winning mentality throughout the squad.

This campaign has seen Falcons break records on and off the pitch, with more than 30,000 fans attending a regular-season game at Newcastle United’s St James’ Park and the securing of Champions Cup rugby before their top-four efforts which ensured a highest finish in 20 years.

Their victory at Leicester in the penultimate game was Newcastle’s first at Welford Road in 21 years, fuelled by belief they can match anyone in the Premiership elite.

“It’s winning the big games, being competitive in the big matches,” Richards told BBC Newcastle.

“We’re doing that, we’ve shown we can beat the big sides from Exeter to Northampton, but ultimately we have to beat Wasps and Saracens.”

As much as Richards puts belief into his players, there is also the element of his personality, his will to win, that has another effect on the people under his management.

“He does instil a fear factor which does get the best out of not just the players, but the video analysts, the physio,” Monye said.

“If the physio says two weeks, Dean will be wanting him back in a week.

“He is always pushing the envelope, perhaps that was some of his downfall – look at ‘Bloodgate’. He’ll forever be remembered for that, and I hope that’s not the defining moment in his career.

“It shouldn’t be the defining moment, because he’s done so many good things.”

Semore’s success

Semore Kurdi (left) helped take Newcastle to Philadelphia to face Saracens in a showcase league game

Richards, Flood, Goneva – all key facets to the Falcons’ revival, but none of whom would be at Newcastle if were not for the impact of owner Semore Kurdi.

Little is known about the ‘Geordie Jordanian’, who established his business in the north east but has remained anonymous as the club he bankrolls charged up the Premiership table.

He has been helped by Richards’ rugby union nous and the business expertise of former Wigan rugby league chief executive Mick Hogan in off-the-field matters.

Kurdi’s intervention when Dave Thompson sought to sell the club in 2011 has coincided with the Falcons’ upturn.

Plans are in place for a new stand at the North Terrace of the ground, as the off-field side of the business seeks to keep pace with their on-field counterparts.

“It probably wouldn’t have survived if the truth be known,” Richards told BBC Radio 5 live.

“The club was on its last legs and you only have to look at the renovations within the club and the way the club is going to understand it’s gone a long way.”