A sporting week in review..

Just a new feature I'll be giving a whirl, it's all very Ronseal really - a review of the sporting week just gone. So, without further ado..

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Monday:

Maybe it was just too good to be true. After defeating the world's best player in Raphael Nadal in comprehensive fashion, we all though it was Andy Murray's time to shine. The US Open was his. He'd be the first Brit to win a Slam since 1939. It was written in the stars.

Erm, we were wrong.

The young Scot was outclassed and outplayed by a rejuvinated Roger Federer, who played his best tennis in years to win in straight sets 6-2, 7-5, 6-2. And they said the king is dead?

Still, a tournament to remember for Murray, who at 21 has a very bright future indeed. And the Yanks still love him, which isn't suprising really. He may as well be American, what with his total arrogance and love for all things American. Just look at him, mingling with the likes of Will Ferrell. I await the fake American accent with baited breath, ala Joss Stone. I preferred him when he was Scottish and miserable, quite frankly.

In football, Rio Ferdinand declared himself fit for battle in England's crucial World Cup qualifier against Croatia for Wednesday. A big boost indeed for a match where England will have to be at their very best defensively against a dangerous Croatia side. I predict a 0-0, for the record. And David Beckham called for experience in the key clash. Not at all angling for a first team spot, eh David?

Tuesday:

Cricket took prominence today, as the England squad for the $20m Stamford Super Series was announced, and there was no real suprises. Steve Harmison was in, after recently completing a U-turn on his one day international retirement. I'm sure the $1m had nothing to do with it. In all fairness though, Harmy looks as good as ever, and his good form definately warrants his selection.

And also in Cricket, Michael Vaughan retained his central contract for a further 12 months, and was given selector Geoff Smith's endorsement. A class act on and off the field, it's a decision that should have Andrew Strauss should be looking over his shoulder, that's for sure. An in-form Vaughan is an asset to England, so let's hope he gets there.

Wednesday:

Well, all the talk was about football, and more specifically, England. And for once, it wasnt all apathy and doom and gloom. Oh no..

Croatia 1-4 England. And they said Capello was a hard nosed pragmatist? It was brilliant stuff from England, who produced their first great performance since 'that night in Munich', all of seven years ago. So, there we have it. The World Cup is now ours. Consider yourselves on notice, rest of the world.

Elsewhere in the UK, Scotland perhaps got more than they bargained for in Iceland, with a great 2-1 win to get their campaign underway, and Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland achieved respectable 0-0 draws against the Czech Republic and Montenegro respectively. Unfortunately, Wales let the side down, going down 2-1 to Russia in Moscow. But never mind, Wales are building for 2018, dont you know..

Thursday:

Football again, and it's the appointment of Gianfranco Zola at West Ham that has people talking. And with good reason. Probably because it's yet another ludicrious appointment in Football. No real managerial experience, no real say in who will be coming and going, a rather inpatient and deluded fanbase to please..it's doomed to failure. But hey, dont worry West Ham fans! You'll get that attacking football that you craved, and thats all that matters, right? Results are just an irrelavance.

Prediction: Wet Sham to get relegated.

Elsewhere, the snooker caught my eye, as the Premier League of Snooker started again in that oh so attractive venue..Grimsby. Way to make snooker look more exciting and accessible to the younger folk, guys. With the 25 second shotclock in place and a World Championship already under his belt, Rocket Ronnie O'Sullivan has to be the favourite for this tournament, and he did his chances no harm with a hard-fought 3-3 draw against former world champion, John Higgins.

Friday:

They say some things in life are worth fighting for. Love, friendship, happiness..and, erm, Dwight Yorke. Sunderland boss Roy Keane and Fifa vice-president Jack Warner engaged themselves in a war of words over the veteran Sunderland star (and I use the term star loosely), with Warner accusing Keane of "disrespecting the smaller countries", after Keane allegedly withdrew Yorke from his international duties. Keane's riposte? "Yorke is retired. I've told Jack what I think of him and where to go. He's a clown, a disgrace."

Right then. And the fued intensified further later in the day, with Walker having a sly dig at Keane for walking out on the Ireland squad on the eve of the 2002 World Cup. Handbags at dawn or what? What next? My dad's bigger than your dad?

And in Rugby, it was the return of Jonny Wilkinson from shoulder surgery that made headlines. Great news for Newcastle and England, and a timely return indeed for Wilkinson, with fellow fly half and young pretender to the throne Danny Cipriani out until at least November with ankle troubles.

Saturday:

Speaking of Rugby, the tri-nations finished today, and it was New Zealand who triumphed, beating Australia by 28-24 in a winner takes all affair. A welcome return to form for New Zealand, and a result that eases the pressure on All Blacks coach Graham Henry somewhat, after an awful performance in the World Cup last year. Ah, we all know they'll flatter to decieve when the World cup comes around anyway. It's what New Zealand do best.

And of course, being a Saturday, football deserves a cheeky mention. With so much going on in the footballing calendar, I'll just focus on one result, and that has to be Shrewsbury's 7-0 mauling of Gillingham, equalling their record league win from 1955 in the process. Sitting pretty in 4th place, things certainly look good for Paul Simpson's men in League Two.

Ok, so I lied, but I had to mention Torquay United. A last gasp winner from Wayne Carlisle gave the Gulls the win over high flying Cambridge in the BSP, and apparantly they played passing football and everything. More performances like this, and Buckle simply has to go. What a clown.

And finally in F1, Sebastian Vettel achieved pole position in the Italian Grand Prix, with Lewis Hamilton only able to qualify in 15th. And there wasnt a stewarding scandal in sight, this was all down to strategic errors and bad weather. But how refreshing is it to see no Ferrari's or Mclaren's in the front row? Was this an indication of things to come? And they say F1 is predictable..

Sunday:

Formula 1 on the agenda first, and yesterday's shock qualifying result certainly was a sign of things to come. It was Sebastian Vettel who triumphed at a wet Monza, giving himself and his Toro Rosso team their first win in F1. Great stuff from the young man. It was certainly an exciting race, with the wet conditions resulting in much unpredictability and drama. After a barren and predictable few years in the sport, it's good to see F1 exciting people again, and just in time for the move back to the BBC, too.

Only one game in the footballing calendar, with Stoke hosting Everton. It was the Merseysiders who prevailed, winning 3-2, but the real story has to be Rory Delap and his ridiculously long throws that helped Stoke towards two more goals. He could rival Ashley Young for assists at this rate.

Continuing on the football theme, and stop the presses, Mike Ashley is selling up at Newcastle! Apparantly 50,000+ Geordies baying for your blood is just too much, so he's decided to cut his losses. It's a bit of a shame really, because it looked a good move on paper with Ashley wiping out the club's debts and being more prudent with the finances, but you just dont mess with the messiah where Newcastle fans are concerned..

And finally, athletics, and Sanya Richards gained a small measure of revenge for her Beijing defeat in the 400m, defeating Christine Ohuruogu in the World Athletics final. But still, we have the one that matters, right?

Wolves young guns hungry for success..

"You win nothing with kids." A famous quote from a certain Alan Hansen, when referring to Sir Alex Ferguson's young Manchester United side that lost to Aston Villa 3-1 on the opening day of the 95/96 season. He believed that Ferguson had made a massive error of judgement in having such faith in his young players, and selling his experienced stars.

Of course, Hansen was wrong - Man United went on to do a domestic double that season. And there were many more titles to come. And it's took Hansen years to live the quote down.

It's now 2008, and its the young guns of Wolverhampton Wanderers that are making waves in the Championship, with their young squad of players impressing on their quest to the Premiership.

Five games played, and 12 points from a possible 15. Not a bad return, and a start that was needed after last season's play-off disappointment. There's no hangover here, that's for sure.

So where did it all go wrong last time around?

Well, scoring goals was never a problem last season, and you can see why, with an attack containing the likes of Michael Kightly, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, and Andy Keogh. All 3 players are only 22, and are as exciting as they come. Kightly in particular has been a revelation, making the step from Non-League to Football League with relative ease. Comparisons with Ryan Giggs are not too far off the mark, in my eyes.

And it doesnt end there. The likes of Wayne Hennessey, Sam Vokes, David Edwards, and Kevin Foley are also on Wolves' books. Young and hungry is definately the order of the day at Molineux.

However, as exciting as it was watching Wolves last season, it also proved to be frustrating. Wolves drew far too many games - games they should really have won. 16 times in fact. Naivety, perhaps? An inability to close a game out could certainly be down to a lack of experience, as could a lack of killer instinct. Either way, it cost Wolves a playoff place on the final day of the season.

It could also be argued that the young squad were not battle-hardened to the vigours of the Championship. Perhaps teams couldn't outplay Wolves, but they could certainly out-muscle them and out-smart them.

However, a line has been drawn from that campaign, and Wolves have started this season with fresh confidence and optimism. They now look like the team to beat, though doubts remain if the young stars can keep this good form up. Will they fold under the pressure? If last season is anything to go by, you wouldnt bet against it.

Of course, with millionaire Steve Morgan on board, the funds are there for Wolves. Players progressing through the academy it certainly aint. But at least money is being invested in young English players. Which is more than you can say for other clubs around the country, quite frankly.

The average age of the Wolves squad is 24, a quite startling statistic. It's refreshing to see a manager have such faith in young players, but it is, in my eyes, a gamble. Watching it unfold should be fascinating.

Heskey - the way forward?

Yes, another England blog, but here's a question for you. What is the one parallel between England's great performance last night, and the last great England performance, seven years ago? On both occassions we performed very well and won comfortably, and on both occasions, one man was leading the line for England.

No, it wasn't Michael Owen, he's been dropped, remember? And it wasnt the boy wonder himself, Wayne Rooney. Nor was it Steven Gerrard, he's injured.

Step forward Emile Heskey. A man critisized by many - unfairly in my view. But the facts are clear. When Heskey plays, and England use him correctly, England play well.

No really, it's true.

Of course, Theo Walcott will earn the plaudits, and rightly so.

But is it any coincedence that Rooney and Lampard had their best games in England shirt for ages? Heskey's workrate and unselfishness was a huge factor in this, creating space for the pair to run into and cause damage. And that's exactly what they did.

And look how well Michael Owen plays with Heskey. Owen worked with Heskey better than any other strike partner - for club and country, past and present. He brings the best out of people, making others around him look better.

Ok, so 5 goals in 45 international appearances hardly strikes fear into opposition defenders. But he is a handful. He'll win free-kicks. He'll hold the ball up, like he did for England's third goal last night.

Of course, there are other alternatives. Dean Ashton for one, who has all of these attributes but has that goalscoring touch, as well. And what about Peter Crouch? Forgotten by many, but Crouch would offer a more intelligent option to the role, with his great touch and intelligent link-up play.

One thing is for sure, a target man is a must if England are to prosper. The likes of Jermain Defoe and Wayne Rooney are wasted as lone-strikers, they need someone to do the 'dirty work' for them. Heskey is that man.

He may look useless and awkward at times, and among England's so called 'golden generation', he may look out of place. But Heskey's role cannot be underestimated any longer.

World beaters once again!

Well that wasnt too shabby, was it? I wonder what Harry Redknapp thought of that?

Croatia 1-4 England. A result I dont think anyone saw coming. I certainly didnt. I could only see a 0-0 draw, with sound defence being the order of the day. I'd have taken it, if offered. 4-1? I'd have snapped your hand off.

Being totally honest, before the match I wasnt too confident. The inclusion of Theo Walcott was something I found bizarre in such a high pressure game, and in the first 25 minutes, my decision looked to be vindicated. His first touch was poor, and Walcott was struggling to get into the game. With Capello being as ruthless as he is, it wouldnt have been a suprise to see Walcott hauled off in the early stages of the game.

And that's why Capello is paid the big bucks. To make the big decisions.

In the end, Walcott stayed on, and the decision paid dividends. Walcott was outstanding, with his blistering pace, clever movement, and clinical finishing causing Croatia no end of problems. It was his big chance, and how he took it with three fantastic goals.

But it wasn't just the Theo Walcott show. Everyone played their part, from the composure of Rio Ferdinand at the back to the tidy and assured job of Gareth Barry in the holding role. Emile Heskey was also a real handful; drawing fouls, working hard for the team with some unselfish play, and even having a hand in one of the goals.

Even Frank Lampard looked remotely useful in an England shirt.

One thing is for sure - this was an England side with balance, and it's no suprise to see it all click into place.

It's now clear we need to play with a target-man. Gerrard and Lampard never could play together - a holding midfielder who can pass the ball well is required. And David Beckham's time has come and gone.

It's not rocket science. In fact, it's all glaringly obvious.

However, as tempting as it may be (and it certainly will be if the national press has anything to do with it) - we cant afford to get carried away with this result.

The first goal came from a lucky deflection, whatever way we look at it. Things could have went a lot differently should Croatia clear their lines properly - the game was evenly poised at that point. The Croatians going down to 10 men did England no harm at all, also. But more importantly, there's a long, long way to go in this qualifying campaign. There is much work to be done.

You have to feel tonight's result would set the tone for the rest of Capello's reign. Win or draw and things would be rosy. Lose and the pressure was on already. And things certainly do look positive.

It's not a result that makes up for the travesty of failing to qualify for Euro 2008, far from it. But it's something to build on for the future, something to be optimistic about, something to smile about, even.

And that in itself is rather pleasing.

The Buck stops here..

Picture the scene. Torquay United vs Nortwich Victoria. It's 1-1, at home, and stoppage time is almost up. After a dreadful start to the season, three points are absolutely crucial if we're to keep in touch with the chasing pack.

So when we get a last gasp penalty to be slotted home by Tim Sills to seal the three points, you can imagine my relief. I was jumping for joy like the rest of the Pop Side. Right?

Wrong.

Part of me was indeed happy to see it go in. I want to see my football team win, don't we all?

But part of me wanted Sillsy to miss that penalty, because it would have probably spelt the end for Paul Buckle. But as it stands, Buckle is still the man in charge. Which prolongs the agony for us Gulls fans further.

Why should he go?

You see, if it's not the baffling team selections, it's the questionable tactics. Recent team selections have been nothing short of ludicrious, with many players playing out of position. The Hargreaves experiement was doomed to failure from the start, yet Buckle persisted with it. We still dont have a recodnized right-back at the club. Robertson and Mansell are short term fixes, not long term solutions. The fact that this problem has been left unresolved since last season is nothing short of a shambles. And why are we still deploying the direct style which saw us found out by many in January? A change to a more expansive style of play was lauded by many, but so far it has failed to materialize. Now dont get me wrong, I have no problem with direct football - with the players at our disposal last season, it made sense, and it was effective. However, with the signings made in the summer, this is no longer the case. The players we brought in are being left isolated and unable to show their obvious talents - on and off the pitch.

Today saw Michael Brough and Roscoe Dsane made available for loan. Both players came with glowing reputations from their previous clubs, yet for us they cannot get a game. This is strange to say the least. Nicky Wroe has arrived for £17,000 with a big reputation, and is nowhere near the team with Buckle persisting with the hard-working but uninspiring Chris Hargreaves and Lee Mansell in midfield.

Rumours are also circulating of dressing room unrest. Rumours of players handing in transfer requests, in-fighting, and storming off after games remain unconfirmed, but it is clear all is not well in the Torquay camp. The strong team spirit and work ethic that was key so often last season has evaporated.

One thing is abundently clear however. Buckle has lost the fans. They no longer believe he's the man to take us back into the league, and you feel he's lost the dressing room too. You cant support or play for a man who no longer inspires, and thats the position we now find ourselves in.

When the inevitable does happen (and I believe it will sooner rather than later), I will ultimately be thankful to Paul Buckle for his tenure at Torquay United. He came to the club when we were at its lowest ebb, and helped the club back onto its feet. He helped bring the pride back into our football club when we were a total shambles from top to bottom. He came close to taking us to the Football League last season, and he took us to Wembley for a day I will never forget. I will always be grateful to him for that.

Unfortunately we need to reach the next level, and he isnt the man to deliver that. His time is now up.

Crisis? What Crisis?

Form is temporary, class is permanent. A cliche, yes, but so true when referring to Roger Federer's fantastic triumph in this year's US Open.

No doubt all the headlines will be about Andy Murray, and rightly so. It's been a tremendous tournament for the young Scot, a tournament where he has really come of age and started to fulfill the great potential we all know he has.

However, Federer, like a true champion, has come back from what seemed like the strongest adversity.

Some said his time had come and gone, that he would struggle to recover, that he wouldnt be the same player as he was. The loss at Wimbledon would be too much, they said. Federer was damaged psychologically.

Well today was a return to form. Federer was back to his sensational best.

The match began with Federer in imperious form, on the frontfoot throughout. The Swiss star was playing seemingly impossible shots with such relative ease. Murray couldnt live with him - and not many, if any players could have. Federer won the set 6-2, and was looking strong. Murray had barely got going.

The second set was a big test of character for Murray. You felt he needed this set to have a chance in the match. Federer broke the Scot early, and Murray broke straight back. With a second break in sight at 0-40, Murray somehow failed to put the game to bed, The killer instinct wasnt there for Murray, whereas Federer was always taking advantage. Federer was applying the pressure at just the right moments, like the best players do, and took the set 7-5. It looked bleak for Murray, and Federer was looking every inch the class act.

The third set approached, and Murray needed a Gasguet style repeat performance. No signs early on, with an early break from Federer. Murray battled on bravely, saving match points, but eventually, Federer got the job done, winning the set 6-2. After proving all the doubters wrong, this will no doubt be one of the sweetest victories of Federer's career.

Make no mistake about it, the big 3 in tennis has become the big 4. Murray is now part of the elite, joining the likes of Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. At 21 years old, he will have other opportunites. He has the game and the attitude to become a force in tennis. Today he just met an unstoppable force in Roger Federer.

So much for a tennis player in decline, eh?

Murray battles past Del Potro to reach semi-finals..

He's done it!

In a gripping duel, Andy Murray battled his way to the semi-finals of the US Open, defeating Juan Martin Del Potro 7-6 (7-2) 7-6 (7-1) 4-6 7-5.

Murray started the match well, going into an early 4-1 lead by breaking Del Potro early, and absorbing the pace from the match, hitting smart lobs and slice shots.

Del Potro found a way back into the match however, with Murray getting closer to the baseline and allowing Del Potro a break of serve. With Del Potro then serving for the set, Murray produced a fantastic winner to break Del Potro again, taking the set into a tie-break, which Murray won emphatically 7-2.

It was at this point Del Potro called for the trainer, in regards to his troublesome knee. After a short delay both players were back on court, and it was an even set, with both players refusing to break serve until 5-5 when Murray broke Del Potro to serve for the set. Del Potro came back however, breaking Murray to love in what was a lacklustre game from the Scotsman.

The set was to be settled with another tie-break, which Murray again won with relative ease, by 7-1. One foot was now in the semi-final.

However, somehow Del Potro found a second wind. After another visit from the trainer, the Argentine produced some great tennis to take the third set. Del Potro looked down and out when Murray broke for a 3-1 lead, but in what seemed like a common theme for the match, Murray gave the break straight back, and Del Potro closed the rest of the set out at 6-4.

Suddenly the momentum was with Del Potro, and things didnt look good for Murray when he was broken early in the fourth set. Murray shown character however, and managed to break Del Potro himself. With Del Potro beginning to show fatigue, Murray managed to close out the 4th set 7-5 - booking his place in the semi-final.

With many expecting fireworks due to the players apparant dislike for each other, there was a nice moment at the net after the match, where the players shook hands and seemingly put the animosity behind them, perhaps finding a new found respect for each other.

The match itself felt scrappy and disjointed at times, with Del Potro's knee problems slowing the match down somewhat. Nonetheless, both players produced some moments of fabulous tennis, and it's clear both players have a bright future in the game.

Rafael Nadal next up for Murray in the semi-finals, and it's easily the biggest match of his career so far. He'll need to improve his serve for sure, which was erratic at times, and improve his killer instinct. Murray should have wrapped up the first and second sets long before he did, and should have won the third. He cant afford to give players like Nadal a route back into the match.

But even all that might not be enough, against the current best player in the world.

Kicked to the Curb..

So there we have it. After months of speculation, Alan Curbishley has finally left West Ham - though he wasnt sacked. Curbishley walked himself, citing a "breach of trust and confidence" as his reasons for leaving Upton Park.

To be fair to Curbishley, he probably had one of the most thankless jobs in Football. West Ham fans not only want success, but good, attacking football. A big ask in the Premiership these days without big resources. Curbishley's dull and sometimes pragmatic tactics just didnt adhere him to the West Ham faithful, despite the 10th place finish that represented some slow and steady progress. Not good enough for some Hammers fans, despite their near escape from relegation the previous season - an escape Curbishley himself was a big part of.

It was the club's transfer policy that seen Curbishley walk, with players seemingly being bought and sold under his nose. The manager felt completely completely undermined, and rightly so. Kevin Keegan could walk out on Newcastle for similar reasons, and who can blame him? The manager should be responsible for transfers in and out of the club - or at least informed of these decisions. He is in charge, afterall.

With West Ham fans now getting their wish and seeing Curbishley ousted, I wouldnt bet against a season of struggle for the Hammers now. And they probably deserve it. As for Curbishley, I have no doubt he'll find himself a club - hopefully one with more patience and common sense than West Ham.

Deadline day drama..

Transfer deadline day - love it or hate it, it's always entertaining. In a car-crash kind of way. And yesterday was no exception..

So, what happened?

Well, we had the small matter of Robinho signing for Man City, for the pricely sum of £32.5 million pounds. A move that would never have happened in a million years IF:

1) Man City hadnt been taken over by a very rich middle east company, and therefore having money to burn.

2) The player had been allowed to move to Chelsea in the first place, but what do we know? Who wouldnt prefer Manchester to London?

The answer you'd be looking for is, "any remotely sane person." Then again, money talks, doesnt it? I await Robinho professing Man City as his 'dream move' some time soon. Yeah, the £6million a year had nothing to do with it, eh?

But there we go, that's the way of football these days. We've got another billionaire to contend with, which just makes the divide bigger between the Premiership and the rest of us. And do these new owners REALLY care about Manchester City? I think not.

In other transfer news, Dimitar Berbatov moved to Manchester United from Spurs in a true shocker of a move that literally no-one saw coming, and he was replaced by Frazier Campbell going the other way on loan for the season, and Russian striker Roman Pavlyuchenko. As good as it would have been for Spurs to call United's bluff here, they really had little choice but to sell the sulky Bulgarian, rather than keep him in the reserves.

Busy times on Merseyside, too. Albert Riera moved to Liverpool to complete the final piece of a jigsaw that has been going since 1992 (it's their year now, dont you know!), and over the Mersey, Everton completed the signings of Standard Liege midfielder Marouane Fellaini for a club record fee of £15m, and Louis Saha from Manchester United for £2m. As if signing Carlo Nash wasnt enough? Greedy bastards.

And Stoke also kept themselves busy, with a triple swoop for Danny Higginbottom, Tom Soares, and Michael Tonge as they planned for next season's promotion push from the Championship.

Enough on the Premiership, what about the lower leagues? Well, the biggest signing of the day (in more way's than one) had to be Lloyd Owusu, moving from Yeovil to Cheltenham.

"He's got great experience, strength and presence and can lead the forward line. He is different to what we have already in terms of his height and strength and will give us that extra firepower."

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I don't think words are needed, really.

But seriously, with the emergency loan window opening in again in a week or so, activity in the lower leagues should pick up. Not that Torquay will be signing anyone, oh no. Our squad is good enough apparantly, what with our lofty position in 18th at the moment..