THE TRIUMPH AND BETRAYAL OF ROBERTO DI MATTEO, CHELSEA'S MOST SUCCESSFUL BOSS EVER

He lasted just 262 days – 262 days that transformed the fortunes of Chelsea Football Club and finally laid to rest Roman Abramovich’s holy grail. Yes, by winning the Champions League, Roberto Di Matteo made everything Roman had done – and all the millions he had invested worthwhile. But six months later the Russian owner of Chelsea rewarded him for his brilliance…with the sack.

Roberto Di Matteo : robbed of his job.

Di Matteo was the manager who took the club to its greatest ever triumph – one which marked him out as the club's most successful manager ever - that balmy night in Munich which now seems an age ago.


Even then, as Roberto celebrated, you could clearly see from the body language that Roman didn't really want to acknowledge his part in the triumph. He never really rated him; he only saw him as a stop-gap and was really forced into giving him a full-time shot at the job until he could get his own full-time next man in (ie Guardiola).


But what Di Matteo achieved that night in Munich was extraordinary - almost miraculous, as he urged on his men to a triumph they really had no right to expect. They were playing the hosts and favourites and emerged with the cup with the big ears against all odds (including beating Barca on the way).


Fast forward six months (to now) and Di Matteo has tried to implement Roman's desire for Chelsea to play a la Barca - with three little guys in Mata, Oscar and Hazard - and passing from the back (which meant keeping David Luiz at centre-back instead of the more reliable Ivanovic).


He has had three months (from August and the start of the new season) to implement a brand new, revolutionary change in playing approach and, as the players inevitably needed time to gell and get used to each other and the new system, he found it difficult to achieve overnight. His reward was to bestabbed in the back. Betrayed for not beating or drawing with Juve away - and let's not forget this is the team who could well go on to win the Champions League. OK, there have also been a couple of dodgy results in the league too, but as Istress again, he was trying to overhaul a way of thinking; from the time of Drogba and Co, when brute force won the day, to a more sophisticated style of play. There were always going to be lean spells as the change took shape.


In essence, he was expected to work another miracle from August to November (changing the mentality and style of play) after already working one in Munich in May. His sacking was the end game – a shocking way to treat someone who had done so much for a football club close to his heart.


RDM deserved better – and Chelsea fans certainly deserve better than the interim, defensively minded joker who will surely now take their team back to the dark ages…even if it is only for six months.


Forget the dreams of being the new Barca for the next few months – Rafa Benitez will underpin his team with a dour defensive edge. Ironic that when Roman wanted to move forwards with entertaining football, he ended up with a man whose philosophy is to bring about the exact opposite.


I wouldn’t be surprised if RDM is laughing in his beer at that irony tonight and probably saying, ‘They deserve each other!’


FRANK WORRALL @weeklysport

FRANKIE'S FLUTTERS

THE CHAMPIONS League returns in football this week and the tie that sticks out is Manchester City's visit to Real Madrid on Tuesday.
Last season City failed to even make the group stages but this time round I am convinced they will do much better - even though they have the unenviable task of coping with Borussia Dortmund and Ajax, as well as Madrid in their group.
I take them to grab a draw - 1-1 or 2-2 in the Bernabeu - to emphasise their credentials.
OK, Madrid have got Ronaldo but have they really got as many other players who are better than City's? I would argue not.
I can see Tevez scoring and Aguero too, if fit.
The only thing I would say that worries me about City is Mancini's continued reliance on the lumbering Edin Dzeko. The striker cost £30million but is too slow of thought and action. Balotelli is your man, Roberto, rather than Dzeko if you want to replace Aguero or Tevez at some stage.

ANDY MURRAY WE SALUTE YOU

IT was wonderful witnessing Andy Murray making tennis history in New York on Monday.
The Scot became our first British Grand Slam champion since Fred Perry in 1936 as he beat Novak Djokovic at Flushing Meadow.
The feat was all the more remarkable because of three factors.
Murray has had to win his Slam in an era that has seen regularly tackling three of the best tennis players of all time in Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and the aforementioned Djokovic.
He has also had to carry the constant weight of being the Brit who would surely break through after all those years of heartache and disappointment since the reign of Perry.
And, thirdly, he has had to overcome his own demons and self-doubts - including the fact that he witnessed the Dunblane massacre as a schoolboy when he was just eight, surviving by hiding under a desk.
No wonder he has seemed such an introverted, serious young man over the years.
Andy Murray - we salute you. Enjoy your success and all the acclaim that comes with it.
You deserve it, sir.

FRANK WORRALL

GO NOW HODGSON - BEFORE WE FAIL TO QUALIFY FOR THE WORLD CUP

DON'T say I didn't warn you...when Roy Hodgson was appointed England manager in May, I wrote in this very column that the FA had plumped for the man who was a safe pair of hands and who would come cheap.
I pleaded that if, early in his reign, if it was clear he was going to fail, the FA and Hodgson himself should at least have the decency to jointly hold up their hands and admit the recession England manager for these recession times had been a mistake.
That Hodgson shouldn't have been employed in the first place.
That, OK, he is a lovely guy, a decent ambassador - but he has been appointed above his level.
That if he was out of his depth, he would make a swift exit before things got worse.
Well, I believe we are now at that stage - less than five months into Hodgson's tenure.
The lucky 1-1 draw with Ukraine at Wembley last night showed up Hodgson's deficiencies.
The visitors are hardly world beaters - I would suggest that most teams in FIFA's top ten rankings would defeat them (unbelievably, England are ranked THIRD but under Hodgson a ranking of 15 to 20 would be more realistic).
Yet England huffed and puffed and, to be honest, I thought Ukraine deserved to win.
Sure, the Jermain Defoe goal that never was should have stood. No way did he foul that big lumbering brute who got in his way as he headed for goal.
But you could as easily argue that it was just karma for the perfectly good Ukraine goal that was disallowed when England had the last laugh against them in Euro 2012.
That it equalled things out.
But last night Ukraine were the better team - and it didn't help that Hodgson fluffed his lines.
He called in every excuse during Euro 2012 (he had not had enough time for the team to gell, he was beset by injuries and he needed patience).
We gave him patience but he rewarded us with a team that would have set the world alight in prehistoric times - a dinosaur outfit bedevilled by his own insistence on sticking to a rigid, dull 4-4-2 format.
Last night his team was slightly more fluid but not good enough overall.
Again, the old bloke was at it - blaming the injuries that had robbed him of the likes of Rooney and Terry.
But, putting that to one side, he hardly helped himself with some truly questionable personnel decisions.
Can you explain to me why Aaron Lennon wasn't in the squad - that he is behind even Raheem Sterling in the pecking order is a joke.
Also, what was the point of going to all that aggro in getting Michael Carrick back in the squad - and then not using him from the start?
Surely, Hodgson accepted England's problem was their lack of ball retention in the Euros...but then he goes and leaves out the man who is widely accepted as England's best passer and retainer of the ball!
And why wasn't Rio Ferdinand marshalling that woeful backline in the absence of Terry?
The truth of it all is this: Hodgson is a dinosaur himself so how can we realistically expect England to move with the times?
Would England play like they did last night - with the same personnel - if say Pep Guardiola or even Roberto Mancini were in charge?
The main worry is this: in a lightweight group England may struggle to grab even the runners-up spot if Hodgson stays in command. I am already assuming Ukraine will take one of the two spots up for grabs - but what if Poland or the very real threat that is Montenegro also prove too canny for Dinosaur Roy?
It would take a real act of faith and bravery to boot out Hodgson now...but dare we gamble any further with him? If he wasn't good enough for Liverpool, can he really be good enough for England?
Yes, I know it could prove tricky replacing him now the season is underway.
But wait a minute...isn't there a chappy out there who is out of work and readily available - and who might be able to turn things around?
But appointing Harry Redknapp now would be an even braver move - and an acceptance from the FA suits that they got it wrong in the first place.
Come on David Bernstein...you're 70 and are about to leave as your legacy the failure of Roy Hodgson, the man you stubbornly - and wrongly - went for despite all the evidence that he wasn't up to the job.
You still have a chance to go down in history as the man who then admitted he had messed up - and saved England - by bringing in 'Arry, the man who took us to Rio with smiles and style.

FRANK WORRALL

FRANKIE'S FLUTTERS

I'M planning a wee flutter on Andy Murray to break his Grand Slam jinx by winning the US Open on Sunday.
Having said that, knowing Murray he'll probably go and lose his quarter-final to Marin Cilic today!
Seriously though, Murray seems a different player since he won the Olympics gold medal at Wimbledon - it is as if a huge weight has been lifted from his shoulders.
So come on, Andy, don't blow it again - we're expecting you to do the business for us in America this week.
Football-wise, the focus turns to the international game. I expect England to win both their opening World Cup 2014 qualifying ties - against Moldova on Friday and Ukraine next Tuesday.
Certainly anything less would throw immediate doubt on the job being done by new boss Roy Hodgson, who must do without the injured Wayne Rooney and Andy Carroll. I would have thought those two injuries would have provided Hodgson with the perfect opportunity to have given the prolific goalscorer Darren Bent a recall.
Let's hope the failure to do so does not rebound badly on Hodgson.

FRANK WORRALL

LIVERPOOL: RODGERS OUT, REDKNAPP IN

IT is going from bad to worse for Brendan Rodgers at Liverpool.
The dream job he left Swansea for just a couple of months ago is rapidly turning into a nightmare.
A big part of the problem is that owner John Henry (who likes to show off his smart-looking wife and act the big shot) does not want to spend any more big money on turning Liverpool around.
His attempt to win over the fans through an open letter on the club's website was a Machiavellian move - the idea being that he trusts them and wants to appeal to them directly when, in reality, the letter merely confirmed the fact that he wants to pull the wool over their eyes and takes them for mugs.
Every point he made on the letter could have been argued against or been used to show him in his true colours - from his claim that he wants to run the club better than any previous administration (ie spend no money to ensure no debts are incurred) to his belief you cannot buy talent but should produce it with young kids (again spend no money).
Basically, Henry is a bean counter who wants to run Liverpool on the cheap and is praying he can get away with it - but I know Liverpool fans are canny and many pals of mine who support the club say they have already marked Henry's card.
The fact that he would not cough up the extra £2million needed to buy Clint Dempsey from Fulham only served to confirm he was a cheapskate - and that he did not back the judgment of Rodgers.
Which in itself is bad news for Rodgers. He was under the impression that he was coming to Liverpool as the man in charge of ALL footballing matters. Hence his stubborn refusal to accept Louis van Gaal in the role of Director of Football.
But now Rodgers finds Henry himself is taking on that role - with numerous ill-informed 'advisers' helping him decide transfer policy.
I personally do not believe that Brendan Rodgers is up to the task of being the manager of such a world-renowned, iconic club as Liverpool FC.
What has he done and what has he won? Eleventh place in the Prem last season - with a Swansea team set up for him by the much more talented Roberto Martinez - and the sack at Reading.
Is that enough to be over-promoted to Liverpool FC?
Was that enough to earn Kenny Dalglish the boot (Last season Kenny won the League Cup, took Liverpool to the FA Cup Final and 8th in the Premier League...I say it again, Rodgers has NEVER WON ANYTHING.)
I also despise the way Rodgers is also trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the fans, the Press and anyone who will listen by consistently pleading for patience as he tries to improve the standard of football at Liverpool. This really stinks - it is a disgrace that Rodgers is being allowed to get away with comments such as 'The job is bigger than I thought, it will take time to get the passing game I want.' The implication being that the passing game is alien to Liverpool - that the club has never witnessed good football and that only he can put that right.
What absolute crap! It is insulting to the work done by Dalglish and the likes of Bob Paisley and Shankly before him - Liverpool have always played good football and been admired for their passing skills. How dare some nobody like Rodgers claim to be the man who is going to be the messiah of style at Anfield - the man who brings decent football to a club that has been universally renowned for it over the years!
His arrogance is staggering. But the truth is he really offers nothing more than the king's new clothing.
I say again - what did he win at Swansea or elsewhere and what right has he to claim that he will bring better, more successful football than Dalglish?
How can Liverpool fans be expected to trust the words of a man who farms out on loan their most improved player of the last season, Andy Carroll? Rodgers does not fancy Carroll because he is big - and that would supposedly be at odds with the football he wants to play. But Carroll is one of the most impressive big men with the ball at his feet; he is skilfull and can pass as well as anyone. He is certainly in a different league to the laboured Fabio Borini whom Rodgers splashed £10million for.
And isn't he a much better footballer than the journeyman Danny Graham who 'starred' regularly for Rodgers at Swansea? Yet Graham is also a six-footer like Andy Carroll - so why didn't Rodgers get rid of him too?
It seems to me that Rodgers is trying to carve out an image for himself as the new Pep Guardiola with all this crap about passing football. Rodgers might be better served allowing his Liverpool team first to play football that gets results. By allowing his backline to defend as they did (so successfully) under Dalglish and by trying to sort out the basics of the team before aiming for the beautiful game. Liverpool are not in the bottom three for nothing.
But I doubt he will be able to do it...he is not good enough. 
There is a way out of this torment - for both Rodgers and Henry - before it staggers on to an even worse state and Liverpool even get embroiled in a real relegation dogfight.
Rodgers can resign on the grounds that the job description he was provided with has not been adhered to. He can point to Henry's unwillingness to back his judgment on the aforementioned Dempsey.
Rodgers then leaves with a wad in his back pocket for constructive dismissal and his head held high. He can then go on to deliver his 'magic' with some other club in the bottom half of the Premier League or the Championship.
And Henry can bring in the man who is truly suited to the wheeler-dealing he so craves - the man who would bring in money to buy new players from sales. And the man who would no doubt bring back Andy Carroll and help develop a devastating partnership between him and Suarez.
Yes, Harry Redknapp. The man who took Spurs from the bottom of the table to the top four.
You might ask how Henry would sell this to the Liverpool fans. How could he present such an obvious U-turn given that he has stated he wants a young, bright manager to bring entertaining football?
Given the hole Liverpool are in, does it really matter about saving face?
Henry could keep his trap shut and let 'Arry do the talking.
If we cut the crap, Henry wants success without spending big bucks. Can Rodgers do that? Are Liverpool fans willing to applaud regular 11th place finishes in the league?
Rodgers out, Redknapp in - it is the obvious solution...and I can guarantee the Kop would love 'Arry. A true footballing man...like Kenny Dalglish, funnily enough...

FRANK WORRALL

FABREGAS WANTS TO RETURN TO ARSENAL!

IT'S one of those weeks when you hear some crazy inside tips about star players and their futures.
The Ronaldo to United with Rooney to Madrid story was staggering enough but there's one brewing down in London that could prove equally as mind-blowing.
My sources at Arsenal tell me that Cesc Fabregas is unhappy at Barcelona and that he has told pals at Arsenal that he would love to return to the Emirates.
His story is the one of the big fish in the smaller pond who is lost and lonesome when he becomes the small fish in the bigger pond.
His dream move back to his hometown club has not worked out as he would have hoped - he is not a guaranteed starter and his form has suffered.
The John Snag he faces is obvious: Arsenal could not afford to buy him back, or pay his wages. So would they be willing to offer Barca Jack Wilshere in a straight swop deal?
Or will he end up returning to England and playing for Man City or Chelsea?
I would not be at all surprised to see Cesc back here by this time next year. He is a class act.

FRANK WORRALL

RONALDO SWOP FOR ROONEY AND £25MILLION

I HEAR from my spies at Old Trafford that Sir Alex Ferguson may indeed be planning to show Wayne Rooney the door.
The relationship between the United boss and his star player has been an uneasy one for some time now.
Recently, Fergie dropped him for being overweight and out of condition - and as we watched Wayne labour for England in the Euros we could all see that the self-styled 'big man' was not fit.
Now, as Fergie enters the last two years of his dictatorship at United, the boss wants to leave with one (or even  two) final Champions League trophy wins.
That was why he bought Robin Van Persie - to secure the goals that would ensure United would not be dumped at the group stages once again.
The Champions League remains the holy grail for Fergie, as I discovered when I did his biography two years ago.
He believes that a team and manager are ultimately judged by their domination (or lack of it) in Europe. That a team like United should have won the trophy five or six times on the run, rather than just three overall (including two under his tenure).
That is why all the whispers behind the scenes at United are now concentrated on WHEN Ronaldo will return and not IF.
The big problem, of course, for Fergie is that the Glazers would never sanction the £80million transfer fee Madrid would want for their star man...a like for like cash return on their investment after they paid that for the Portuguese in 2009.
That is why Fergie bought Van Persie - to replace Rooney, not to work alongside him. The idea is that he could use Rooney as part of the carrot to bring Ronaldo back. Rooney would be rated at £55 or even £60 million - so the Glazers would have to fork out a further £25million. Fergie is allowed that figure for incoming transfers each summer, so could take it in one early slab in January as long as he agreed he would not spend anything in the summer unless he sold someone from his existing squad to bring in cash.
That plus Rooney would pay the fee for Ronaldo - but then you have the problem of his wages. United are working on the plan that the commercial value of Ronaldo would provide  a hefty chunk and that they could also offload Nani for £25million to make up the difference in cash coming in and the freeing up of his salary.
The Glazers are up for the plan - it would in one swoop get many of their critics off their backs and leave them looking like heroes for once. They would be the men who brought back to United their best player since Georgie Best.
And the partnership of Van Persie and Ronaldo would lead Fergie to those final two Champions League wins he so craves before he retires - while the fact that Ronaldo was back at Old Trafford would provide yet another justification in Mourinho's mind that he too should quit Madrid to take over at United in the summer of 2014.
Truly a case of trebles all round!

FRANK WORRALL

FRANKIE'S FLUTTERS

LEWIS HAMILTON will be aiming to make up for his poor showing at Spa ast year.
This year's race in Belgium takes place on Sunday.
Last year Sebastian Vettel stormed to his seventh victory of a wonderful individual season.
But Lewis failed to win any points after crashing out after a collision with Kamui Kobayashi.
Vettel's team-mate Mark Webber finished second to seal a Red Bull one-two while Jenson Button was third.
This year I am predicting Button and Lewis to both finish in the top three.
In football, Man City should beat QPR by a couple of goals at the Etihad on Saturday.
While on Sunday I would expect Man Utd to win at Southampton.

FRANK WORRALL

LEWIS HAMILTON IS THE RYAN GIGGS OF F1

LEWIS HAMILTON is on the brink of signing a new long-term deal with McLaren.
It was perhaps inevitable that he would never leave the team he has been with since he was 12.
He always dreamed of driving for McLaren when he started out. It was the team of his hero, Ayrton Senna, and embodied everything he believed was great about Formula 1.
It had great tradition, great cars and was one of the teams with the most joie de vivre.
Only during the last couple of seasons did relations between Lewis and the team go astray.
He felt let down by the constant balls-ups in the pits and frustrated by the development of the car.
But, at heart, Lewis always believed they would get it right and that he would once again be in a position to seriously contend for the drivers' title.
It seems ridiculous that he is the best driver of the circuit and yet has only lifted one title.
That may all change next year.
He will have signed his new deal and the car and the team will be on a high.
Lewis Hamilton is like Ryan Giggs - just as Giggsy only ever wanted to play for one team, so Lewis only ever really wanted to drive for one team.
Lewis Hamilton and McLaren - a team united, and back in business.

FRANK WORRALL

IS BRENDAN RODGERS REALLY BETTER THAN KENNY DALGLISH...OR JUST ANOTHER VILLAS BOAS?

NEARLY four months after Kenny Dalglish was sacked, Liverpool fans continue to ask themselves two valid questions.
The first is: Did he really deserve the sack?
While the second is: Did Brendan Rodgers deserve to get his job?
My feeling is this: No, Kenny did not deserve the sack...he should have been given one more season to prove himself. He did, after all, bring a trophy back to Anfield (the League Cup) and also took the fans to a second final last year, with the FA Cup.
Those two trips in themselves were surely enough to warrant a stay of execution after a period directly before Kenny's arrival of no glory and no joy?
Regarding Rodgers, I am not sure that he did deserve to get Kenny's job.
He had a good season at Swansea and got them playing football, but what has he won - and what else has he done?
If he gets Liverpool playing good football a la Swans, but with the same lack of glory, is that enough?
Of course it isn't.
My worry for Liverpool is that Brendan Rodgers has been promoted out of his depth - although I hope he proves me wrong for the sake of my many friends who follow the club through thick and thin.
Rodgers is the product of Liverpool's American owners - in essence he is a mirror reflection of them.
He got the job (after Wigan's Roberto Martinez turned it down) via an excellent interview that included a thorough documented presentation of how he would fit in with the owners' vision.
He sounds more like one of the gin and tonic brigade of bean counters than a football manager. I can visualise him impresssing John W Henry with his flip charts and his expense calculations.
Can you imagine Ferguson, Mourinho or Guardiola operating that way?
Alan Pardew, of Newcastle, yes, certainly - but the REAL big-time bosses, no way, Jose!
Rodgers has clearly bought into the bullshit that you can build a Premier League and Champions League team by buying wisely (ie cheaply) and operating on a budget.
I have news for him: you can't!
Look at Man City, Barca and Real Madrid - and even old Purple Nose at United has realised he is having to harangue the Glazers for some cash at last, because he has also realised he is on the last year or two of his time at Man United and will never win anything again unless he does.
The best Liverpool can be under the Rodgers/Henry vision is the new Newcastle - operating within sensible budgets and making it to the lower end of the top six, maybe fourth if everything falls into place at once.
Is that good enough for Liverpool FC?
Rodgers also reminds me of Andre Villas Boas when he arrived at Chelsea and tried to prove himself.
He ditched the likes of Lampard and brought in the likes of Sturridge, who is not good enough.
His aim was to show he was the boss and that he was going to pursue his 'project' whatever the strife it caused.
Similarly, Rodgers has ditched Andy Carroll to show that he will only accept a more fluid, attacking style of football.
Yet Carroll is unusual for a big striker in that he can play the ball on the ground as well as in the air! And he is clearly a better all-round player than Fabio Borini, the Italian nobody Rodgers has splashed £10million on!
Rodgers has also messed up the heads of his centre-backs (Agger and Skrtel), asking them to play it out from the back like Barca, rather than continuing the excellent defending that made them the best centre-half pairing in the league last season.
Rodgers is going for revolution rather than evolution with tactics, buys and decisions that are eminently questionable.
Those were exactly the same accusations levelled at Andre Villas Boas before he was sacked after less than six months in the Chelsea hotseat.
The really bad news for Liverpool is that if Rodgers does prove not up to it, they can't get rid of him as easily as Chelsea did AVB.
If the Northern Irishman is indeed out of his depth, how can the owners sack him without it reflecting terribly on themselves?
Especially as they so ruthlessly turfed out a king to land such a novice.

FRANK WORRALL

FRANKIE'S FLUTTERS

THE BIG footie match of the week comes on Sunday when Liverpool take on Manchester City at Anfield.
I predict that the best the Kop kings can hope for is a draw, but more likely is a City win...maybe even as clearly as 3-1.
City are miles ahead of Liverpool right now. Put it this way...even without the world-class Sergio Aguero they can call on the wonderful Mario Balotelli or the £30million battering ram Edin Dzeko to stand in for him!
Liverpool, by contrast, have dropped their best striker - Andy Carroll - and are playing Italian Fabio Borini in his place. That is sheer madness...surely new Kop boss Brendan Rodgers can see that Carroll isn't just a bull of a No 9?
Carroll can play on the ground as well as in the air and, from what I have seen so far, is twice the player of Borini.
The Italian certainly doesn't look good enough to even get on the bench if he was at City.
In the other big match, I predict that Chelsea will beat Newcastle 2-1 at Stamford Bridge.

SIR ALEX FERGUSON HAS LOST THE PLOT: EXCLUSIVE BY HIS BIOGRAPHER

FOOTBALL

SIR ALEX FERGUSON HAS LOST THE PLOT:
WHY MAN UTD WON'T DOMINATE
AGAIN UNTIL MOURINHO OR
GUARDIOLA ARRIVES

WEEKLY SPORT SPECIAL ANALYSIS BY FRANK WORRALL, AUTHOR OF WALKING IN A FERGIE WONDERLAND, THE BIOGRAPHY OF SIR ALEX FERGUSON

SO Sir Alex Ferguson achieved a five-year ambition by signing Arsenal's Robin van Persie...and then started him on the bench!
He left him there for almost 70 minutes at Everton on Monday night - even though his United team were clearly in need of both inspiration and a saviour.
United were losing 1-0 and hardly looking like scoring. Indeed, you could easily see the Toffees grabbing a second goal to make sure of the points.
Yet old purple nose continued to sit there, defiantly, determined not to bring on his new superstar signing.
The thinking was obvious: we will score (somehow) and then I can say we were good enough to get a point without even having to throw in my new man...that's how good we are!
It was warped thinking. I am told by more insightful folk than myself that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again...and expecting a different outcome.
Well, how many times over the years has Fergie stubbornly refused to do the obvious? How many times also has he persevered with a player who clearly wasn’t as good as another, just to prove a point?
Dozens. I give you two examples - one from a few years back, one from the current era.
Probably the most obvious case of Fergie the Blunderer is that of the Argentine Juan Sebastian Veron, who simply couldn’t cut it at United.
But Fergie was determined to give him every chance to prove the doubters wrong – and no doubt to justify exactly why in 2001 he had splashed out United’s then record £28.1million transfer fee for the midfielder.
In 2003, Fergie’s attempts to prove the boy WAS up to it collapsed when the man he was keeping out of the team – the wonderful David Beckham – replaced him as a sub and stole the honours in a Champions League clash with Real Madrid.
Becks had been unable to regain his place in the United starting line-up after an early season injury, with the boss preferring to play Solskjaer on the right side of midfield. Ole was a class act, and you can see why Fergie might persevere with the Norwegian until David reached peak fitness again.
But it was impossible to defend the boss’s antics in April 2003, when he stubbornly left Becks out of the team to face Madrid in the Champions League second-leg at Old Trafford. United had lost the first leg 3-1 and so this was the decider: a key match against a crack outfit, with the winner taking a step closer to the final at Old Trafford that Fergie so desired.
It was a match to field your strongest eleven, with no passengers carried, no worries about any man breaking down from an injury he had been carrying. Yet, instead of starting with Becks, Fergie stubbornly – and foolishly – sent out Veron in his place. Veron had been out injured for the previous seven weeks and was still half-fit, so it was a ludicrous decision.
I remember writing at the time that it seemed to be another chapter in the manager’s doomed campaign to prove the Argentine was worth the £28.1 million he had splashed out on him in July 2001. The facts tell the full story of how the boss’s decision backfired that St George’s Day, 23 April 2003.
A hat-trick by the Brazilian Ronaldo meant United were also losing 3-2 on the night when Fergie finally relented and took off the ineffective Veron – and sent on Becks. Within 21 minutes, David had scored twice and United finished 4-3 winners, but lost the tie 6-5 on aggregate.
Afterwards Fergie would claim he had kept Becks on the sidelines for Solskjaer, not Veron, saying: ‘I saw it as quite a straightforward decision. Solskjaer’s form has been fantastic on the right-hand side. I don’t regard him as a sub any more – he deserved his place.’
Two months later Becks would be on his way to join the team who had ended Fergie’s dream of competing in front of his own fans for the Champions League final. In the end, AC Milan would claim the trophy in Manchester after beating their Italian rivals Juventus 3-2 on penalties after the match ended 0-0.
More recently, Fergie has insisted on playing Danny Welbeck instead of Javier Hernandez. Now, no one is denying that Welbeck is a fine work in progress. But he is just that: he is too easily bundled off the ball, he is careless with his passing and his partnership with Rooney is stop-start. In comparison, Chicharito is a natural born striker who is a much better goal-getter and whom Rooney admits he loves working with. Yet he remains on the bench while Welbeck continues to learn his trade.
Someone in the United backroom team should have the guts to tell Fergie he has got it wrong - before the little Mexican leaves.
Just as someone in the United backroom team should have told Fergie he had got it wrong at Everton.
On Monday, United looked bereft of ideas and could certainly have done with Van Persie earlier.
But the clanger over the Dutchman was hardly the first of Fergie's night.
Against a resolute Everton side, who United rarely beat at Goodison, Fergie started with his best winger (Valencia) at full-back and his best midfielder (Carrick) at centre-half.
While the ineffective Nani, and subsequently Ashley Young, struggled to get crosses in, Valencia struggled at the back.
And Carrick struggled to contain the wonderful Marouane Fellaini.
Valencia should have been on the wing with Rafael at full-back (Rafael is, after all, now playing there for Brazil!) while Carrick should have been in his rightful midfield role.
OK, United were shorn of centre-backs because of injury. But surely they have someone in the reserves or youth team who is worth a go? This is Manchester United - and they are forced to play two midfielders in defence in what was bound to be a tough encounter!
It speaks badly of Ferguson and his back-up team.
As does the fact that he bought Van Persie rather than Felaini - in the sense that the one area at the club that has been crying out for attention and rejuvenation was central midfield.
For the money spent on Van Persie, United could have brought in the awesome Felaini, surely the rightful heir to the crown Roy Keane vacated five years ago (and which has not been filled since).
But Fergie had his way and bought the injury-prone Dutchman rather than sorting out the eternal midfield conundrum.
So United continue to struggle in midfield with old-stagers (Giggs and Scholes) and those who are not good enough (Anderson and Cleverley).
And the arrival of Van Persie...it now poses a question mark over the future of United's most naturally gifted striker, Javier Hernandez.
Chicharito cannot be expected to accept his role as No 4 striker at the club - he is better than Welbeck (who Fergie stubbornly still insists on playing ahead of him) and, I am told, is a 'bit down' at the arrival of Van Persie, which now threatens to limit him to even less playing time.
The Mexican superstar is one of the nicest, most humble guys you will ever meet - certainly not your typical ego-driven footballer - but even he can only be expected to take so much.
No, I believe Sir Alex Ferguson dropped a bollock by not playing Van Persie from the off on Monday night, and that the signing shows the Scot is no longer the manager he once was...because of the implications it also has in hoovering up the cash that could have signed Felaini and in the way it has left Chicharito in the lurch.
I predict here and now that United WON'T win the Premier League this season. That honour will go to Man City or Chelsea, with the best the Red Devils can hope for being a battle for third spot with the likes of Arsenal and Spurs.
The countdown to the end of Fergie has begun...and even United fans I spoke to yesterday admitted that they also believe they will only truly be able to start competing for the league and the Champions League again when either Mourinho or Guardiola takes over. The countdown has begun...

FRANK WORRALL
 

FRANKIE'S FLUTTERS

THE FOOTBALL SEASON IS BACK AMONG US.

This week's big games are:

Saturday - Newcastle v Tottenham

Sunday - Man City v Southampton

Monday - Everton v Man Utd

I predict that the Toon and Spurs will draw 1-1, City will beat Saints but it will be a closer match than most people expect...with a 2-1 scoreline, and Man Utd will beat Everton 3-1 at Goodison with Rooney and new signing Robin van Persie on the scoresheet.

CRICKET

England to draw with South Africa at Lords and thus lose the series and their No 1 spot to their closest rivals.

FRANK WORRALL

LONDON 2012 - A SHIMMERING SUCCESS BUT AT A PRICE: OLYMPICS REVIEW 4

I DON'T think any of us will disagree that the London 2012 Olympics were a massive success and uplifting for a nation almost on its knees due to the financial crisis that continues to swirl unrelentlessly around us.
The Team GB victories were inspiring and the whole event was essential, mesmeric viewing.
Even sporting cynics found themselves shedding a tear or two as the incredible, awe-inspiring achievements continued to mount on the athletics track, in the velodrome and in the swimming pool.
For two weeks, we were lifted out of the doom and gloom that has been a constant part of life as the country struggles amid cuts, job losses and lack of growth in industry.
But in another way it reminded me of when I was a carefree music journalist in my 20s, boozed up and skint - and enjoyed Christmas by maxing out my credit cards.
During the festive season itself I was lost in a wonderland of unlimited booze, food, 'fun' and hedonism.
Then came the dark realisation that I had no way of paying off the debts I had racked up during that couple of weeks of exceptionally good times.
It was the hangover of all hangovers: I was maxed out on my cards, I was skint and I couldn't meet my commitments.
I had experienced a whale of a time at Christmas, now I was just sinking.
And isn't that, to an extent, the same with the Games?
I know, it makes me sound a killjoy, but don't you feel a bit of a hangover this week? Now that the Games are gone, don't you miss them and feel a bit low?
As a country we have blown £9billion on them - and I will always tell anyone that it was one of the best two weeks of my life.
But so was that two-week blow-out in my 20s.
Then reality kicked in.
Let's hope that the Games HAVE paid for themselves as the politicians claim. The last thing we need is another Millennium Dome-style debt albatross hanging around our necks right now...but do we trust the politicians to have been telling the truth?
Do they usually?

FRANK WORRALL

DISCRIMINATION AGAINST THE PARALYMPICS? OLYMPICS REVIEW:4

MY favourite moments of the Games were the Jess Ennis win, the Mo Farah double, the Wiggins win, the Usain Bolt treble golds - and the plucky performances of the disabled sprinter, Oscar Pistorius.
The South African became the first amputee sprinter to take part in the Olympics in the men's 400m heats and added another first when he subsequently appeared as a member of South Africa's 4x400m team.
I admire Oscar for his persistence, dedication and braveness - the same way in which I admire Jess, Mo, Bradley and Usain.
Which brought up an interesting point of conversation when I was talking to a friend this week.
She said, 'I am really looking forward to the Paralympics - but isn't it discriminatory that they are held after the Olympics? Aren't we meant to all be equal and to see each other equal nowadays? So shouldn't it just be all part of one Olympics - that lasts for a month instead of two weeks?
'That way you could have one day of the able-bodied athletes competing, with the next day the disabled athletes. Surely it would be more appropriate in this modern era?'
It is certainly an interesting and valid point.
As they say on examination papers at A Level...Discuss!

FRANK WORRALL

EMELIE SANDE TWICE - BUT NO ADELE? OLYMPICS REVIEW 3

THE closing ceremony wasn't as good as the opening one.
The opening one was bathed in drama and visual wonder, and also had the benefit of two major rock acts performing, in McCartney and the Arctic Monkeys.
The closing one, in contrast, was never meant to have the same conceptual weight. But its creators DID make the claim that it would be one of the greatest musical events that these isles have ever seen. And that it WOULD showcase the very cream of our talented musicians and singers.
Well, to put it simply, it failed.
Let's start with Emeli Sande. Now, I know she is a good singer, soulful and emotive, but why was she given two slots in the closing ceremony after also getting one in the opening?
It was a crazy decision, one that suggested there is a shortage of top-notch divas. A friend of mine even suggested that she 'must be going out with either one of the show's producers or some bigwig from the BBC'.
Why wasn't Adele on that stage? She, not Sande, is our No 1 female star.
Moving on, why was George Michael allowed to plug his new single which, apart from being no good, was hardly representative of the golden years of rock/pop?
And why were Madness invited to yet another celebration? They have become the modern-day Chas 'n Dave - they'll turn up for a 'knees-up' at the spin of a coin - what with singing on the roof of Buck House for the Diamond Jubilee and now at the Olympics. Their contribution to the annals of British music simply does not justify such exposure.
Then there's the omnipotent Jesse J. For Christ's sake, the girl has been around five minutes (four more than Emil Sande) and she is on twice too, singing in a Roller, then duetting with Brian May.
Have we really got no bigger, better musical stars than Emeli Sande, Jesse J and Madness?
Is this the legacy of the likes of Bowie and Lennon?
The Lennon moment was the one truly inspiring section - as his face beamed around the world singing Imagine I had to fight back the tears. What a genius, how we could have done with the likes of him at that flawed closing ceremony.

FRANK WORRALL 

WHY DAVID BOWIE DIDN'T PLAY THE OLYMPICS - GAMES REVIEW 2

I WAS reading the Guardian newspaper the other day when my attention was suddenly grabbed by the headline, 'DAVID BOWIE SNUBS OLYMPICS CLOSING CEREMONY'.

I'll admit I am a tabloid writer and tabloid animal at heart, and that headline summed up for me all that is wrong with the so-called 'classier broadsheets'. 

Yes, I know the Guardian is a Berliner format (sized somewhere between tabloid and broadsheet style) but it is of the same mindset as the broadsheets: the arrogant, sneering contempt it holds for the tabloids being one of its common traits.

Yet that headline was worse than anything the tabloids did on Bowie. Of course, most did not even mention that he turned down an invitation to play at the Games' finale.

Why would they?

They knew, as I am sure most of the population of the UK knows, that David Bowie was NEVER going to play, so he hardly needed to turn it down.

How could he when he is not in the best of health, holed up in his penthouse home in Lower Manhattan?

In 2004 he suffered a heart attack that rocked him spiritually and mentally, as well as physically.

From that point on, he has stayed largely anonymous in New York, preferring to live the quiet life. He picks his daughter up from school and, when he does venture out to the shops (usually book stores) he does so incognito. He likes his privacy and has no yearning to make music, play music and certainly not to do live shows.

A friend of mine told me that David has suffered other physical ailments of late - another claims to have seen him coming out of a clinic renowned for its treatment of cancer, although, of course, Bowie could have been visiting a friend there.

What is clear is that David Bowie was never going to play at either of the Olympics ceremonies, so I don't know how the Guardian saw his non-appearance as 'a snub'.

Perhaps the paper should look at itself first, before laying into the tabloids?
Talking of David, I have heard that he did watch both ceremonies and enjoyed a chuckle when his hit, Fashion, was played as the backdrop to the closing ceremony's tribute to the British fashion industry.

Doh! Didn't the producers of the show know that the song is actually an ATTACK on fashion rather than an endorsement of it? A close listen to the lyrics would have confirmed that.

Now why didn't the Guardian mention and comment on that irony when a downmarket tabloid hack like me can spot it so easily? It certainly would have been a better angle for them to latch on to their crude attempt to demean one of the two greatest British rock icons of all time (Lennon being the other).

FRANK WORRALL

MO-MENTOUS MO FARAH -OLYMPICS REVIEW 1

I THINK we're all agreed that the three British stars of the Games were Bradley Wiggins, Jessica Ennis and Mo Farah?
Bradley and Jess made early claims for immortality while Mo did it over two so-called Super Saturdays.
In the first, he won the 5,000m while by the end of the second he'd also notched up the 10,000m gold.
Mo is a potent symbol of the Britain of today - a Somalian immigrant who has taken to England and adopted himself to his adopted country.
Mo arrived here at the age of 8 and spoke no English. He was no academic genius when he finally did break through, but he was a genius on the track. From the age of 13, he worked hard and his payoff was double gold at the London Olympics.
He has proved the power of positive action and while he is proud to be British, we are just as proud, if not more so, of him.
Mo Farah is one of the best examples of what can be achieved in the multicultural, tolerant Britain of today. Mo, we salute you - and thank you for two brilliant Saturday nights, two of the best Saturday nights in we have enjoyed for many a year.

FRANK WORRALL 

FRANKIE'S FLUTTERS

ATHLETICS: Usain Bolt to add the 200m title to his 100m crown. Mo Farah to make it double gold by winning the 10,000m after his brilliant showing in last week's 5,000m.

DIVING: Tom Daley to win a bronze in the 10m Platform.

FOOTBALL: Robin van Persie to end the speculation by joining Manchester United for £20million.

OLYMPICS TREATS TO LOOK OUT FOR THIS WEEK!

All events on BBC1, BBC2 or BBC3. Check on day for which station to watch.

TODAY (Wednesday August 8)

ATHLETICS
Men's 200m semis
From 8pm
Usain Bolt and fellow countryman Yohan Blake do battle yet again.
Women's 200m final
Allyson Felix is the hot favourite - she won silver four years ago.
9pm
Men's 110m hurdles final
9.15pm

THURSDAY AUGUST 9

ATHLETICS
Men's 800m final
8pm
BOXING
Women's Boxing Finals
From 4.30pm
FOOTBALL
Women's Football Final
7.45pm
Live from Wembley as the United States take on Japan. Interest is terrific - a crowd of at least 83,000 is guaranteed after defending champions' the US beat Canada 4-3 in extra-time and world champions Japan's overcamer France 2-1 in the semi-finals on Monday.

FRIDAY AUGUST 10

ATHLETICS
Women's 1,500m Final
Hannah England is the big hope for Team GB.
HOCKEY
Women's Hockey Final
8pm
TAEKWANDO
Women's Final
10.15PM

SATURDAY AUGUST 11

ATHLETICS
Men's 5,000m Final
7.30pm
Mo Farah goes for double gold after his triumph in the 10,000m a week previously.
Men's 4x100m Relay Final
9pm
Look out for the brilliant Jamaicans.
DIVING
Men's 10m Platform Final
8.30pm
A big chance for Tom Daley to make amends after his disappointment at finishing fourth a week previously with team-mate Pete Waterfield. Now solo, Tom will be hoping to grab a medal.

SUNDAY AUGUST 12

ATHLETICS
Men's Marathon
11am
The event begins on The Mall, where it will also conclude.
BASKETBALL
Men's final
3pm
BOXING
Men's Superheavyweight final
3.15pm
THE CLOSING CEREMONY
From 9pm
Expect more fireworks and wondrous praising of London and Britain throughout the ages. If it is anything as good as Danny Boyle's Opening Ceremony, it will definitely be worth staying up for.

THE GAMES' BIGGEST STAR OF ALL?

LIKE everyone else, I have been thrilled and so proud of our Team GB athletes and their medals success.
It lifts the heart and spirits in these difficult economic and social times - even if it proves to be only a temporary fix.
But one man stands out for me as THE athlete of the London 2012 Games, and he is not British.
Step forward Oscar Pistorius and take your place on the podium of greatness.
The South African sprint runner is known variously as 'Blade Runner' or the 'Fastest Man on No Legs'.
That's because he had a double below-knee amputation aged 11 months and runs with the aid of  carbon fibre artificial limbs.
His successes have been phenomenal over the years. Back in the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens he came third in the T44 (one leg amputated below the knee) 100-metre event. Then he went on to win the 200m event, beating two Americans who had a single amputation to his double amputation.
Four years later, in Beijing, he retained his 200m crown and added the 100m and 400m to it as he roared to victory in the Paralympics.
He had made brave and noble attempts to actually compete in the Olympics themselves that year - but was held back by political maneovring by Games chiefs who argued unconvincingly that his blades could prove a safety risk to other competitors.
Finally, his persistence paid off and he was awarded a place, on merit, in the South African Olympic Games squad for London 2012.
And last week, Oscar Pistorius became the first amputee runner to compete at an Olympic Games. He finished second in his heat in the 400m, a result that meant he had made it to the second semi final.
Now his luck would run out, as he finished eighth...last.
But even that was a miracle when you consider where he had come from and the incredible odds and obstacles he had to overcome.
Oscar Pistorius had become a living example of just what you can achieve if you put your mind to it - and you really want it.
He had inspired millions and brought tears to the eyes of countless others.
So, Oscar we at the Weekly Sport salute you - you are our Biggest Star of the 2012 Olympics.
A real action hero in every sense of the phrase...

FRANK WORRALL

BBC SHOULD HAVE 2 SPORTING PERSONALITIES OF YEAR

I DO hope that the BBC can correctly ascertain the mood of the country and will take that into account when they dole out their annual sporting honours come Christmas time.
My belief is that this year they should have TWO Sporting personalities of the Year rather than just the one.
Such a move would also put an end to the belief that the honour is sexist - as men usually win it.
This year the Beeb could have a MALE and a FEMALE category winner.
My choices would be the great Bradley Wiggins to lift the men's gong while surely the women's would go to the fantastic Jessica Ennis.
I honestly believe that each has as much a credible case as the other to lift it - so surely it makes sense to have two winners?
So, come on BBC - show that you're in tune with the times...that you 'get it'...and give us what we are asking for!

FRANK WORRALL

WHY VICTORIA PENDLETON DISAPPOINTED ME

YES, yes, I know that Victoria Pendleton will go down as one of THE greats in the cycling world.
No one can cast doubt on her ability or her standing when the history of this London Olympics is written.
Yes, yes, she went out on a high - with a gold and a silver over the last week - and also won a gold in Beijing four years ago.
Yes, yes, she has won  nine world titles including a record six in the individual sprint competition - and is the reigning World Champion for the sprint.
I don't deny any of that - or the fact that I was cheering her on as robustly as the next person as she battled vainly to overcome the powerful Anna Meares in what would be the final race of her career on Tuesday.
Yes, yes, Victoria Pendleton has undoubtedly been a great champion - and a great ambassador for Britain.
It's just on a humanistic level that I feel a bit let down by her.
As I watched her compete over the week in heats and finals, I just felt she could have been a bit more compassionate with team-mates - maybe a little less concerned with self. I know that is tantamount to heresy given the adulation in which she is now held by the British public.
But I still feel it is something that has to be said.
One particular incident highlights it astutely. In the team sprint, she and team-mate Jess Varnish set a world record in the qualifying round.
But they were later disqualified after Pendleton blundered - moving to the front too early at the end of the first lap.
It meant they threw away a guaranteed silver medal, and, more than likely, a gold.
Of course, all the TV cameras and all the attention was on Vicky, with poor Jess being almost forgotten. All the sympathy and loss seemed to be centred on Vicky - but, let's be honest, she had many more medal chances to come in these Games.
Jess, by contrast, was on her way home. In her first Olympics, she had lost the chance of a medal because of a clanger by her more experienced team-mate - and yet I didn't notice any sympathy being offered to the younger competitor.
It was all 'poor Victoria' this and 'poor Victoria' that. I also didn't hear Vicky publicly say how sorry she was for Jess and HER loss - and that is what left me so disappointed.
I believe Vicky should have spoken of Jess and her regret for her when Vicky won that gold. Let's be honest - she could even have dedicated it to Jess and made a big thing of it. Well, couldn't she...
But no, no, there was nothing. Even after winning a gold and a silver all the talk was about 'poor Vicky' and even Vicky cried tears for herself.
What about poor Jess?
At least Team GB cycling chief Dave Brailsford belatedly paid tribute to poor Jess, saying: 'It was Jess's first Games and I think that when you look statistically most people do not deliver in their first Games. Most medallists are second Games athletes.
'For her, while it is a bitter pill to swallow no doubt as they were guaranteed gold or silver and it is a medal lost in that sense, it was not as if there was a question of whether she was good enough to get a medal. I know that will be hard but she will get over it and I know that she will be set for Rio (2016 Olympics).'
Indeed she will - and I hope if she is ever in the position that Vicky was with her, she will show a bit more compassion and selflessness. Given the type of person she clearly is, and the depth of disappointment she will have felt in her own dark moment on the track this week, I am sure she will. 

FRANK WORRALL

STOP PRESS: WIGGINS GOLD PROVES HE'S THE GREATEST

OLYMPICS SPECIAL

YES, the incredible Bradley Wiggins has won GOLD in the cycling time trial! His seventh Olympic medal and his fourth gold.
Another brilliant showing from the man who is a certainty to now win the BBC Sports Personality Of The Year after winning the Tour de France too.
This man is a genius - we are lucky to be around in his era to pay homage to him.
Soon, surely, it will also be a case of ARISE SIR BRADLEY...


FRANK WORRALL

FRANKIE'S FLUTTERS

FOOTBALL: I know that Team GB have one foot in the door of the next stage, having drawn with Senegal and beaten the UAE but I remain doggedly unconvinced by Stuart Pearce and his team. I cannot see them beating Uruguay in tonight's crunch match in Cardiff...but maybe they can scrape a draw which would see them through.
CYCLING: I believe that Victoria Pendleton and Chris Hoy WILL both win gold this next week. I also think Bradley Wiggins will be there or thereabouts in the Time Trial.
ATHLETICS: Usain Bolt to retain his 100m crown - and joy for Britain with Mo Farah (bronze) and Dai Greene (proably silver).

WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR AT THIS WEEK'S OLYMPICS

All events on BBC1, BBC2 or BBC4. Check on day for which station to watch.

TODAY (Wednesday August 1)

CYCLING
Men's Individual Time Trial, from 2.15pm
Come on Bradley! Yes, it's time for the Tour de France winner to step up to the plate and bring us another gold.
FOOTBALL
Great Britain v Uruguay, 7.45pm
Can Stuart Pearce's ragtag squad hold out against the likes of Liverpool's Luis Suarez and the brilliant Edison Cavani? Winner takes all - advancing to the next stage, although GB only need a draw.

THURSDAY AUGUST 2

ROWING
Lightweight Fours, from 10am
Team GB won the world crown four years ago but now face a daunting task to win gold. They must beat the brilliant boys from Denmark.
CYCLING
Men's team sprint finals
Sir Chris Hoy is the big GB hope.
SWIMMING
Women's 100m Freestyle Final, from 8.30pm
Fran Halsall should be among the medals for Britain.

FRIDAY AUGUST 3

ATHLETICS
Heptathlon, from 10am
GB poster pin-up girl Jessica Ennis begins her quest for glory as the athletics section of the Games finally gets underway.
Swimming, 7.45pm
Rebecca Adlington defends her 800m freestyle crown after winning bronze in the 400m race last Saturday.

SATURDAY AUGUST 4

SWIMMING
Men's 4x100m
The great Michael Phelps goes for gold - yet again.
ATHLETICS
10,000m Final, 9.15pm
GB have major hopes of glory in the legendary 10,000m as Mo Farah takes on the world's best.

SUNDAY AUGUST 5

ATHLETICS
Women's Marathon, 11am
Unfortunately, Paula Radcliffe will not be competing for GB - she succumbed to injury.
SAILING
Men's Finn, 2pm
Can Ben Ainslie deliver for GB?
MEN'S 100m semis and final, from 7.45pm
Usain Bolt will be going for gold in the showpiece athletics final of the Games.

MONDAY AUGUST 6

GYMNASTICS
Women's Uneven Bars, from 2.50pm
Beth Tweddle is the great hope for Team GB.
ATHLETICS
Men's 400m hurdles final, 8.45pm
Dai Greene earned the gold in the world championships - and now would dearly love to emulate that achievement at the Olympics.

TUESDAY AUGUST 7

CYCLING
Women's Sprint Semis and Final, from 4pm
Victoria Pendleton is a realistic bet for gold as she attempts to retain her title.
Men's Keirin Final, 5.50pm
Chris Hoy is expected to be in among the medals for GB.

THE FEELGOOD OLYMPICS

OLYMPIC SPECIAL 3

THE first week of the Olympics has been like that famous 1960s Western starring Clint Eastwood and Lee van Cleef - we've seen a lot of the good, a bit of the bad and a bit of the ugly side of the world's biggest sporting event. In that sense, yes, it has gone much to form - most Olympics I have witnessed over the years have gone off to much the same script.
My main relief is that we have not had to watch in horror as some terrorist cell have wrecked the Games. There was a general fear that could happen in the first week, but it seems as if the balls-up by security firm GS4 has resulted in an unexpected happy spin-off - for the Army were brought in to beef up security and have been doing a great job.
I have been staying in Earls Court during the Games and what has struck me is the fantastic feelgood factor that has dominated. The volleyball has been taking place at the exhibition centre and the visitors - many of them from abroad - have been laughing and really enjoying themselves.
Around 15,000 crammed into Earls Court on Saturday and then on Sunday and what was also noticeable was the excellent rapport between the stewards and guides and the crowds walking down Penywern Road to the venue.
All those stewards and guides - many of them volunteers - deserve a real round of applause. They have welcomed the visitors with open arms and been helpful and polite. They have been a credit to the nation and have played a truly major role in ensuring these Games are a success.
Well done, all of you - you deserve a medal too...

FRANK WORRALL

STOP PRESS: BRITAIN WINS FIRST GOLD!

OLYMPICS SPECIAL 2

WE must be a lucky charm here at Weekly Sport Towers!

No sooner do I start banging out the column (12noon, Wednesday) than Great Britain finally goes and breaks their duck and grabs an Olympic gold!

Yes, many congratulations to Helen Glover and Heather Stanning for finishing first in the final of the rowing women's pair.

The achievement is all the more remarkable as Helen and Heather are the first female British rowers to be crowned Olympic champions.

Now let's hope the golds start to flow - beginning with Bradley Wiggins in this afternoon's cycling time trials at 3pm.

I am glad the girls broke our duck as it was beginning to feel like we would be hosts who put on a great opening ceremony and then failed miserably in the events themselves - like say Austria and Poland who hosted the Euro 2012 football finals.

Now we need to build on the momentum set by Helen and Heather to avoid ending up with that overall verdict.

FRANK WORRALL

HOW DID THE OPENING CEREMONY COST £27MILLION THEN?

OLYMPICS SPECIAL 1

I THOUGHT the Olympics Opening Ceremony was sensational and that producer Danny Boyle definitely deserves the New Year knighthood that is coming his way for masterminding it.
It was arguably the best opener of all-time and certainly better than the military efficiency and glum predictability of Beijing four years ago.
The journey through the various landmark eras of life in Britain - the agricultural then industrial revolutions - and the tips of the hat to our landmark achievements - the NHS, the music and the entertainment industry - were thrilling and highly watchable.
The comic moments - Rowan Atkinson with the LSO and the Queen with Daniel Craig - were also fantastic. And David Beckham looked like he was auditioning for the Bond role as he glided down the river smiling mysteriously on a speedboat.
I also loved the drumming and the musical accompaniments by the likes of Mike Oldfield (who most people had thought had long passed away!)
But there were, inevitably, certain questions and minuses about the whole affair.
Like why did the stadium announcements come in French first and then English?
And why did no one on the set explain who the mean-looking businessman played by Ken Branagh was meant to be? In fact, he was not a mean businessman but Brunel, the man who played a foremost role in the aforementioned industrial revolution with his work on the railways and transport infrastructures.
And then there is the most important question: Just why did the ceremony cost £27million to stage?
Sure, I understand that a lot of people were involved and that there were lots of different scenes and sets.
But the majority of those taking part were volunteers - which means they weren't paid - and even the likes of Paul McCartney and the Arctic Monkeys only received a perfunctory £1 each.
So where did the money go? We need a transparent breakdown of the figures.
Why?
Well, while the event was magnificent and quirky triumph for Britain, that money could have been used elsewhere, couldn't it? Like helping get kids into jobs, people off the dole or improving lifesaving facilities in the NHS?
Surely the ceremony should have cost next to nothing? If everybody involved took no money (as is claimed) and everything was donated (from the sets to the costumes to the electric et al), I could understand a figure of say £1million - and even that is being generous - being set aside for sundry expenses and unexpected late charges. But £27million?
So come on Danny Boyle, let us know how that massive figure breaks down...

FRANK WORRALL 

Live Football Online

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The one stumbling block to football in recent years is the cost, with season tickets in the premier league costing four figures for some clubs, not to mention away games and cup games. With a reduced disposable income and increased costs, many fans are looking for an alternative cost effective means of watching their favourite team.

Online streaming has become increasingly popular, with the internet giving users access to a host of domestic and internationally based football matches from the comfort of their own home. With many services offering completely free streaming it`s easy to understand why online streaming is now so popular. In conjunction with the free online streaming service many websites offer a link to online betting, so you can watch the match and bet whilst it`s in play.

Before looking at where to watch live football online you should first check your internet connection to ensure that it is capable of supporting live streaming, as there is nothing worse than the stream buffering when your centre forward is one on one with the goalkeeper. Speak to your Internet Service Provider (ISP) who will be able to confirm your current internet speed.

It may be worth upgrading your broadband speed, if possible, to give you the optimum experience online. A faster broadband connection will allow you to surf faster and stream with ease, whether you are watching your local team or watching the latest blockbuster release. Download speeds will also increase dramatically so you can get the latest music from the internet to your mp3 player faster.

Once you have checked your internet speed it`s time to find the right website for your streaming needs. Typing `live football online` into a search engine lists a number of websites but it`s important to choose the right one. Explore each of the websites and find out what you need to do in order to watch a match; you`ll get a feel for the best website for your needs. It`s also important to find a website which streams the games you want to see.

Finally, if you don`t own a Smart TV, think about hooking your laptop up to your TV so you can watch live streaming on a bigger screen and can soak in the atmosphere at the game. With a host of livefootball.net matches available online, just click, stream and enjoy the beautiful game.

In association with your WEEKLY SPORT (c) copyright 2012.

FRANKIE'S FLUTTERS

OLYMPICS

TEAM GB footballers to struggle to get out of their group - even with the likes of UAE and Senegal to deal with. I just don't think Stuart Pearce is up to the job.
MARK CAVENDISH to strike gold in the cycling road race - with Bradley Wiggins claiming a silver consolation.
MICHAEL PHELPS to claim a psychological advantage by beating arch rival and fellow American Ryan Lochte in the first of their Olympics battles, the men's 400m individual medley.
TOM DALEY and Pete Waterfield to grab bronze or silver in the 10m Platform Synchro.

THE WEEKLY SPORT SAYS: LET THE GAMES BEGIN - IGNORE THE WHINGERS...AND ENJOY THEM!

FRANK WORRALL OLYMPICS SPECIAL REPORT: EDITION 1

IF you took in the constant whinging about the Olympics, you could easily come to the conclusion that London 2012 is bad news. That the Games, which officially open this Friday, are a waste of time, a waste of money and will bring only problems.

The pundits have been moaning about the traffic snarl-ups the Olympic lanes on the M4 and within London itself will bring.

They have carped on about the tubes being crammed and how it will be difficult to get to work in London.

Then there has been the sniping about the balls-up by G4S which has led to the Army being asked to provide security.

Jeez, even the rain has been used as a reason why we shouldn't have held them in the Capital - and that is forgetting the cost of the whole shebang!
If there was a gold medal for whinging, Great Britain would win it every time. We are undoubtedly the world leaders in seeing the glass half empty rather than half full. We love to moan on about the weather, the state of the country, the state of the economy etc etc.

Rarely do we see the good in situations and give ourselves a pat on the back.

Well, maybe we should start reversing that pessimistic attitude, starting this week, and become a more positive, prouder nation - if only for the duration of the Olympics.

No amount of whinging or sniping is going to stop the Games taking place in London over the next couple of weeks - so why not sit back and enjoy them?

Why not sit back in awe at some of the wondrous sporting achievements that will take place in front of your very eyes - and salute the athletes who have dedicated themselves for a lifetime to scale such heights?
Why not simply allow the scales of cynicism fall from your eyes - and lap up the action? And don't worry if you can't make it to any events, or had no luck in securing tickets...the whole show will be broadcast on the BBC over
the duration.
Even the opening ceremony on Friday will be a world-class example of what we in Britain can achieve - and billions around the world will see that we, as a nation, have still got what it takes.
Curated by the redoubtable Danny Boyle - the man who brought us Slumdog Millionaire - it is sure to offer up a marvellous mix of music, theatre and entertainment.
The Queen will officially open the ceremony and then Boyle's extravaganza will swing into action with 10,000 volunteers and some truly stunning visuals and action.
Then the athletes - from more than 200 countries - will parade around the Olympic Stadium before the flame is lit to announce that the Games have finally begun.
The big question right now surrounds the identity of the person who will light the flame. My information as of today (Wednesday July 25) is that the mystery person is none other than David Beckham. That would be a great choice
to my mind after the footballer was so cruelly (and wrongly) snubbed by the pathetic Stuart Pearce for the Team GB squad. Beckham has done as much as anybody to get the Games in London and giving him such a pivotal role would be a good way of thanking him. He is a fine ambassador for this nation, a fine man and a great example to young people.
Plus he is one of the five most famous people in the world - which helps when the show is going out live to the world.
Here at the Weekly Sport, we will be advising you what to watch and when to watch it in this column every Wednesday. We will also be speculating which events during the week offer the best chances of Olympic glory for Great Britain.
As a starter, here are our selections for the week from today to next Wednesday, August 1...

SATURDAY JULY 28

ROAD CYCLING, BBC1, 2pm

CAN the wonderful Bradley Wiggins or his equally talented countryman Mark Cavendish win gold for GB? Expect a titanic race for gold as the race climaxes on The Mall.
ALSO: NOT Brits, but still worth tuning in to see the first of an anticpated thriller series between the brilliant Americans Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte in the Men's 400m individual medley (SWIMMING, BBC1, 7.30pm).

SUNDAY JULY 29

ROAD CYCLING, BBC1, 2pm

NICOLE COOKE from Wales claimed gold in the Women's Race in 2008. Can she do it again? She will face tough competition from fellow Brit Lizzie Armistead.
ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS, BBC3, 2,45pm
BETH TWEDDLE is the Brit we are all depending on for glory.
SWIMMING, BBC1, 7.30pm
REBECCA ADLINGTON will be hoping to be our golden girl in the Women's 400m freestyle.
ALSO: Look out for Zara Phillips taking part for GB in the Team Eventing at Greenwich Park (EQUESTRIAN, 10am, on air time on BBC1 to be confirmed).

MONDAY JULY 30

DIVING FINAL, BBC1, 3pm
THE talented and likeable Tom Daley is after a gold medal. Best of luck to Tom and Pete Waterfield in the 10m platform synchro at the Aquatics Centre.
ALSO: Look out for Great Brit Zoe Smith as she takes part in the 58kg event at the Excel Arena (WEIGHTLIFTING, 12.30pm, on air time on BBC1 to be confirmed).

TUESDAY JULY 31

SAILING, BBC RED BUTTON, 12noon
BEN AINSLIE is on target for a remarkable FOURTH consecutive gold medal.
ALSO: Look out for Brits Richard Kraus at the Excel (FENCING, 10.30am) and Tonia Couch with Sarah Barrow in the Aquatics Centre (DIVING, 10m PLATFORM SYNCHRO, 3pm). On air times for both events to be confirmed on the day. Check for all times to be confirmed by the BBC with TV listings on the day.

We hope that's given you a taste for the action. As you can see, it's a great first week - so sit back and enjoy the action from the greatest show on Earth!

FRANK WORRALL

FRANKIE'S FLUTTERS

I HAVE a bad feeling about Lewis Hamilton at the moment - and cannot see him winning the German GP, although I would be delighted to be proved wrong. I can see Alonso or Webber triumphing on Sunday.
I think England and South Africa could battle out a draw in the First Test at the Kia Oval. Defeat for either team would put them very much on the back foot as there are only three Tests to play for - but cricket fans should be the real winners with a feast of fine play.
Will Tiger Woods win at Lytham? I have a feeling he might - but it could be worth putting a bet on him to finish first or runner-up.
In football, I predict that Liverpool striker Andy Carroll will end up signing for his old club, Newcastle.

PIETERSEN IS THE KEY FOR ENGLAND

CRICKET
ENGLAND v SOUTH AFRICA, Thursday to Monday

THE First Test gets underway at the Kia Oval on Thursday between the teams ranked No 1 and No 2 in the world - and it should be a cracker.
World No 1s England know they face a tough three-match series against the Boks, who can boast the best bowler in the world in Dale Steyn.
But England themselves are no slouches - in James Anderson they possess a man who is a similar giant with the ball in his hands.
The two teams are evenly matched and that adds to the feeling that the series will be wonderfully entertaining to witness.
Maybe England have a small edge...in Kevin Pietersen they have a man who has more to prove than most.
He has been mired in controversy of late after his premature retirement from international limited-overs cricket.
Plus, of course, he is playing against his fellow countrymen (he was born in South Africa and only qualified for England through his English mother) and there is always an edge to his game when he plays against the Boks.
I have a feeling that a revved-up Pietersen and Anderson could see England home - but it will be very close.

FRANK WORRALL

LEWIS HAMILTON'S LIFE-CHANGING MOMENT

Motor Racing
German GP, Sunday

IN 2008 Lewis Hamilton won the drivers' championship in Formula 1 with a superb display of his talents throughout the season - but it also helped massively that his McLaren car was a winner, too.
The previous year - his debut campaign in F1 - he had finished second in the drivers' championship.
But since then, Lewis has never managed to reach those heights.
In 2009, he finished fifth, in 2010 fourth, last year he was fifth again and now he lies fourth in the race for the title.
And that is unacceptable for the man who is undoubtedly THE driver of the generation. He should have had FOUR titles to his name rather than ONE.
And that is why he is in such a delicate, life-defining stage of his career as he heads to Hockenheim this weekend.
Last year he triumphed at this circuit and how he could do with a repeat of that now.
Another non-finish or poor result and he will fall further behind his arch rival Fernando Alonso and the Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber.
The headache he faces is simple: stick or twist. Should he stick with McLaren when his contract runs out at the end of the season...or should he twist and head to another team where his chances of winning the title again would increase?
It is a tough choice but one he must get right - or he may go down in the history books as the best driver of his generation who only won one title.
Lewis must assess whether the McLaren team are going to provide him with a faster car, and better back-up in the pits - or whether another team would improve his chances.
His big problem is to judge whether there is another tean who could do that - and whether they would have a space for him.
Surely he must be putting out feelers to assess the mood within the other garages?
This is where his old dad would have been of great assistance. Is it merely coincidence that his career has nosedived since he told Anthony that he no longer required his services before the start of the 2010 season?
I hope Lewis does win on Sunday in Germany - and, for his sake, that he makes the right decision about whether to stick or twist at the end of the season. His career and place in the history books depends entirely upon the latter.

FRANK WORRALL

FRANK'S biography of Lewis Hamilton is available for the reduced price of £7.99 at...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lewis-Hamilton-Champion-World-Biography/dp/1844545814/ref=sr_1_11_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1342617988&sr=1-11

IS THIS THE MOMENT BAD-BOY TIGER WOODS FINALLY PUTS HIS DISGRACE BEHIND HIM?

GOLF
THE OPEN, THURSDAY TO SUNDAY

TIGER WOODS heads to Royal Lytham this week in an unusual position - and I don't mean one from the Kama Sutra!
Yes, for the first time since his downfall in 2010, the former golden boy turned bad boy of golf enters a Major as favourite to win.
He last won a Major in 2008 when he triumphed at the US Open.
So a win at the Open would crown his comeback and provide a kind of redemption and closure of a period that was undoubtedly painful for the American superstar.
It would also see him finally reclaim his world No 1 spot which he lost in 2010 after a record stay of 281 weeks at the top - as long as rival Luke Donald does not finish second or third behind him.
Woods hit the skids at the back end of 2009 when the world started to learn of his multiple infidelities - which cost him his wife and family.
He has admitted his wrongs and battled back quietly. Maybe he deserves a second chance - a second coming?
Myself, I would like to see a second coming from Rory McIlroy, who has also struggled since that euphoric US Open win last year.
It would be great if Rory could finally put his game together again - and give us Brits and Irish the chance to celebrate a win in a summer that has seen Andy Murray come so close, yet end up so far away, at Wimbledon, and England slog their way to the quarter-finals without any style at Euro 2012.

FRANK WORRALL

WEEKLY SPORT readers can buy Frank's book on Rory McIlroy for just a fiver (half the retail price) at...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rory-McIlroy-Biography-Frank-Worrall/dp/1843587521/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1342615744&sr=1-1

FRANKIE'S FLUTTER

GOT one right out of two last week with my prediction that Andy Murray would get to the Wimbledon final.
This week I am suggesting a few long-term bets.
The first is that either Brazil or Spain will win the Men's Olympic Gold in the football.
The second is that Bradley Wiggins will win the Tour de France (providing he avoids a repeat of the injury that wrecked his hopes last year).
The third is that Chelsea will win the Premier League next season, with Man City runners-up. I very much like the players Roman has brought in at the Bridge, swift, small and nimble a la Barcelona.
And the fourth is that England's cricketers will not lose the three-Test series against the South Africans over the next month. England are ranked No 1 in the world with their visitors at No 2 so it should be a cracking contest.
I believe England have enough quality to win through, but with the weather so unpredictable right now I am a little reluctant to predict they will be outright winners. The weather could easily mean it ends up all level!