Wembley Semi Silliness March 15, 2009
Posted by johnwinfield in Football.Tags: everton, fa cup, ferguson, Football, manchester united, moyes, wembley
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Wembley will be used to host the FA Cup semi-finals again this year
Both David Moyes and Sir Alex Ferguson have been very vocal in the press this week regarding the semi-finals of the FA Cup.
The two fiery Scotsmen have made their thoughts crystal clear: semi-finals should not take place at Wembley.
David Moyes was the first to comment, saying this after Everton’s 2-1 victory over Middlesbrough:
“It’s great to be in the semis but I’d prefer the match was away from Wembley.
“I don’t think anyone likes it. Wembley should only be used for the final.”
And Sir Alex echoed his comments yesterday:
“I agree that playing the semi-finals at Wembley devalues the Cup.
“It’s a Football Association decision that pushes up costs for the fans. The least they can do is reduce the price.”
They’re correct, of course. It’s football’s worst kept secret that there is one reason alone for holding the semi-finals at Wembley: money. Holding more matches at the new stadium will help to pay back some of the £757m it cost to build.
But while Wembley needs to make its money back, dragging fans from the northwest all the way down to London is going to be something of wallet-weakener – this article in the Manchester Evening News says that the trip could cost recession-facing football fans over £100 altogether.
In a fair world these games would be held at a neutral location, and one more suited to the teams involved. Villa Park, in the case of Manchester United vs Everton, would be much more appropriate.
Instead though, the excitement and spectacle of saving Wembley for the final is a thing of the past.
TV presenter Susanna Reid interview March 15, 2009
Posted by johnwinfield in Journalism.Tags: bbc, breakfast, equality, gender, Journalism, news, susanna reid
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Susanna Reid has been presenting BBC Breakfast on Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings for the past 4 years.
In this excerpt from a longer interview I asked her what it’s like being on national telly and being a woman in broadcast journalism.
Susanna was quite outspoken when it came to the subject of gender equality in the TV world:
I think it is a fact that, whatever anyone says, the way a woman looks is a key part of her employability. There are many more younger, fresher-faced women coming up all the time. What people forget, though, is that with age comes enormous amounts of experience
I tend to agree with her. The oldest female news presenter I can think of is Moira Stuart – and she quit at the age of 58 in 2007, amid strong rumours of ageism from the BBC. It seems a lot easier for men to stay in the job -just look at 69 year-old Sir Trevor McDonald, for example. Sir Trevor only just finished presenting ITV’s News At Ten, and still works on the Tonight program.
Its not just a problem in journalism, either. As much we all love him, could anyone really imagine a female entertainer and presenter becoming a national treasure and still being featured on prime-time TV at the age of 81 like Bruce Forsyth?
I don’t think so. Perhaps one day things will be different and women will stop evaporating from our screens when they hit 50.
‘he’s not that kind of player’ February 24, 2009
Posted by johnwinfield in Football.Tags: david moyes, everton, Football, kevin nolan, media, newcastle, premiership, victor anichebe
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I can’t be the only one bored to death of this tired old phrase.
I’ve not known Kevin Nolan to be that type of player
This was Everton boss David Moyes speaking after Kevin Nolan‘s ‘tackle’ on Victor Anichebe in Sunday’s stalemate at St James’s Park.
Sorry, Kev, but yes you are. You too, Martin Taylor.
Because there’s only one criterion that makes a footballer ‘that sort of player’. It’s making this sort of challenge:
Nolan's lunge
Ouch.
Are there players that run around making these challenges in every game? Is that what’s meant by ‘that sort of player’? Of course not. Yes, Nolan has rightly apologised, but an extended ban is still necessary. If football is truly to rid itself of extremely dangerous challenges like these, harsh penalties must always be imposed.
If it weren’t for the fact that ‘big’ Vic posseses the physique (and unfortunately, first touch) of an industrial refrigerator, he would undoubtedly have been a lot worse off this morning.
