BY COLIN WILLIAMSON

When Fabio Capello surveyed the football landscape at the end of 2007, he was faced with a vast array of employment opportunities, as befitting an intelligent Italian manager with an impressive CV. Unfortunately for ‘Don Fabio’, he too was to make an unwise choice and drink from the poisoned chalice of English Football. Hypnotised by the hype, the status, and certainly the pay packet, he stumbled into one of the few jobs in the world almost guaranteed to end in bitter separation.
The England football team is a bit of an enigma within the national culture. Loved and hated in equal measure, derided within its own borders for its failings and apparent treachery, it is fiercely defended if those from foreign lands dare to point out the very same misgivings.
Armies of supporters march to its cause, travelling in hope and misplaced expectation, fuelled by a fervent media who analyse the actions of the national team with almost forensic fascination.
To be at the helm of such an institution is to carry the dreams of many, with almost no chance of seeing them fulfilled. One of the facts that escapes those who bemoan the inability of successive ‘Golden Generations’ to match the feats of the fabled heroes of ’66 is that English footballers just aren’t that good. Yes, the Premiership is the most watched, and arguably the most exciting, league in the world. It is packed with drama, scandal, athleticism and some of the finest players in the world. It just so happens that not many of them are English. When international football comes calling, the technical ability of the Spanish, Germans and South Americans finds the boys in white wanting.
So how does one approach such a job, where the expectations of success far outstrip the resources available to achieve it? You don’t. You pick the humble looking cup at the back, and live to fight another day.
The English FA are now presented with an unexpected opportunity. To see what must be done, they need only gaze south from the Wembley Arch towards rugby HQ at Twickenham. The similarities between the two organisations are probably far greater than either would care to admit. Both suffered from poor World Cups, both have issues with misbehaving players and a murky public image.
Rugby has taken the bull by the horns, clearing out the old guard and adopting a zero tolerance stance on any miscreants who cross the line of legal or moral acceptability. Whilst the evidence from the opening round of the Six Nations may suggest that this policy has seen no benefits on the pitch, it is undeniable that wounds are being healed off it. Performance will surely follow.
Will the FA dare to follow such a path? Are the footballing public more accepting of their idols misgivings, as long as they are masked by on-field success? How would they react to, for example, Wayne Rooney’s absence if he were to be convicted of drink driving?
It is perhaps prophetic that on the day Fabio ‘crumbled into dust,’ his heir apparent, Harry Redknapp, should appear blinking into the sunlight form Southwark Crown Court, the aura of scandal slipping effortlessly off his back to reveal a squeaky clean, ready-made replacement.
When the choice comes, as it surely will, will Harry be drawn in by the external beauty and sparkling splendour of the biggest job in football, or will he stick with the humble simplicity, but safety, of his role at Spurs.
Let’s hope he chooses wisely.

So you love football, but you’ve decided that rather than just spend a few weeks drinking in pubs and watching Euro 2012 on big TVs, you’d rather go to Poland and/or Ukraine and drink in pubs and watch games on big TVs. Fair enough. But do you know anything about either country? Crime rates? No, neither do I, and to be honest I’m not about to scare anyone out of taking a trip that could be one of the best in their life. But if you are planning to nip over for the tournament, you might need to know a thing or two, and soon, as flights etc. will only jump drastically the closer we come to May 2012.

BY PETER MCLOUGHLIN
Think about the scale of these two countries that together span Eastern Europe, and the cultural smorgasbord on show when citizens from every rich city in Europe land in to party all night every night. Well, they’ll party at least until their country’s national team are knocked out in what will probably be a case of a bust-up/boring-game-decided-by-penalties/ Spain-passing-them-to-sleep. But anyway, you know about the football. Instead, I will give you a little run down, taken from the official UEFA website, of all the towns and cities involved; concluding by which seems the most ideal place for the greatest amount of fun.

Firstly, the city Napoleon said was ‘key to everything’; Gdansk, positioned in the north of Poland, built around the coast of the Baltic Sea. The history of the place in fascinating, but if you are planning on flying in what you’ll want to know is what you can do aside from wander around admiring the Flemish architecture and signs of old devastating struggles. Well, to be honest, there isn’t a lot else; but again, the place will be busy, sweaty, and full of young drunk people, so really there is no reason why you wouldn’t have fun. The city is on the coast, so should be a place with enough fresh air and variation from the urban sprawl to make it one of the favourite destinations; the only arguable downside being that it is literally on one side of the map; to travel to the Ukrainian cities involved will take a considerable amount of time.

Next up is Pozan, a city in the heart of Poland with ‘Eastern Energy, (but) Western Style’. The first bit of that statement sounds promising, but the latter, which is backed-up by the photographs of some of the city’s landmarks, is really a negative if you are searching for something different. Better transport services abound from here though, and the economically strong city should have plenty to see. But for me, stuck in the middle of a place thriving on industry rather than culture or artistry, it’d dull quickly.

Warsaw, the city which will host the opening match of the Euros, has a great deal to offer, but again, most of this is in the cultural and historical sense, aside from the fact that the place will be swamped with people. The bars here are apparently top quality.

Each city will have its own ‘fan zone’, consisting of a large cordoned area with massive screens and entertainment every night, but Warsaw’s sounds the most impressive of the lot: it will accommodate 100,000 people, open on the eve of the tournament and, like the fan zones in each of the other Polish cities, stay open every night to 1 a.m. until July 2nd. It is free and will broadcast every match live, and will also have live concerts and five-a-side football matches.
The final Polish town is Wroclaw, a city built in and around over 15 islands and rivers, all connected by 112 bridges. Here the biggest attraction is the Racławicka Panorama; a magnificent 114m long rotunda depicting an old battle in which Polish peasants defeated the Russian army. Aside from that, the fan zone has the exact same description as the others, so all in all not a great variation in activity from one to the next: D.J.s, five-a-side tournaments etc. But to be fair, none of that sounds at all bad.

All in all, I’d aim for Gdansk or Warsaw. Although Gdansk is probably the most culturally diverse, as it is a coastal city close to a Russian and Lithuanian border, the fact that Warsaw is the largest city in Poland, with the most going on and the better transport options to move on from, if you’re forced to choose I’d go for the capital. Otherwise, of course, hit them all. Inter-rail passes are the way to go.

Now Poland is big, but Ukraine is huge; in fact it is the largest country contained completely within the Euro-zone, and the cities used for the tournament are well spread out, so if you want to travel to more than one city then prepare to travel long and with fair expense.

Lviv is the first city on the list, and being closest to the Polish border is the most likely travel hub of the tournament. Again the vagueness of the entertainment on offer here is apparent, but then most official acts are probably yet to be confirmed. Same fan zone style as in Poland, only these close at 12.a.m, rather than 1, so they’ll probably be the slightest bit less mental. The motto of this city is ‘open to the world’, and one of historic significance, and also less populated that most of the cities, so one for the quieter times.

Kyiv, 540km from Lviv, houses roughly one million more people than Warsaw in its limits, so you can well imagine the extra atmosphere, but the lack of a larger fan zone here could cause trouble – or at the very least over-crowding, so I’d think twice about using this place as your footballing mainstay, but the city itself of course is a special place, and you could spend a good week only scratching the surface of all there is on offer. No trip to the Euro’s would be complete without exploring the wealth of this city; which includes city beaches for all those lazy or hung-over people who need a place to have their bodies lapped back to normal.

Kharkiv follows, and it has a neat monument to football already inset, so you can expect there to be plenty of die-hard fanatics trawling these streets and squares. One such square – The Freedom Square – is the world’s 9th largest, and has the majority of the university and government building all circumventing it. This is also where the fan zone will be situated, and it’ll be big enough for 50,000 people. Aside from that, it is a place of excellent and various educational institutes, so the second largest city in Ukraine could also be the best student hotspot, and therefore probably the most fun. Oh, and they have a football team called the Metalist’s. If Gdansk offers something different in Poland, Kharkiv is the equivalent in Ukraine.

Donetsk in the last city on the list, and it is incidentally 1,810km from Gdansk (how’s that for a road trip?), and yet both are built close to a boarder of Russia! (good luck for 2018…). Founded by a Welshman in the 1800’s, it has been recognised as the cleanest industrial city in the world, which is a credit to the place, and aside from looking fairly swanky in style, the Sea of Azov is only an hour away, which is the world’s most shallow sea (in that it is less deep, not, you know, concerned with material things…). The fan zone is not quite as big as Warsaw’s, but it should still be mightily impressive, and as the city is closer to the middle-east than to central Europe, the temperatures should be higher and the culture a little less familiar. Throw in a quarter and a semi-final and this city should be one of the tournament hotspots.

Overall each city has its merits. If you’re not travelling on a large budget, I’d either travel only the one country of go for the cities, Warsaw and Lviv, closest to the borders and jump between countries for a better cultural contrast, or, for my money, I’d take Ukraine, and I’d hop between Kharkiv and Donetsk, as they seem like the most modern and youth-full places to be. But wherever you are, it’s up to you to make the most of it, of course.

When you’re there for the football, it’s going to be very hard to pull yourself away from the cities fan zones; but if you do, you’ll find architecture of various cultural and religious times scattered all over each of these cities, aside from Donetsk, which should, as a newer city, be at least consistent, if not a little dull as a result. Do try and veer away from the fan zones; dive into the pokey bars (just look for a flag that resembles your own during match day), taste the corner food, dodgy meat colourations be dammed, dance in the streets until dawn, avoid binging to the point of drunken idiocy every night, and try to take in the countryside, particularly Ukraine’s, which is remarkable varied from one side to the next.

You know you can’t always rely on the football. Sometimes it’s boring. Sometimes it’s clumsy. Sometimes it’s sickeningly unfair. But it brings people together – and you can rely on people to entertain you, to excite you, if you just keep plunging into the ocean of new experience Euro 2012 will offer. And remember, for the next decade or more, all the major tournaments in the world are going to be played in places that cost a fortune to travel to or are set in unimaginably volatile climates, so this might be your last great excuse for a long time to piss off to another country and drink yourself silly for a few weeks while gorging on football. Or, alternatively, this could be your next great heart-achingly beautiful experience. I’d recommend you try straddling the two options the best you can.

BY COLIN WILLIAMSON

Another feature of our sporting elite is that their tributes and obituaries rarely make mention of the indiscretions that were all too keenly covered in their sporting prime.

The sad death of Gary Speed will buck the trend on both counts. Scandal was not a feature of his life and there are no unsavoury episodes to brush under the carpet of fond remembrance.

Speed epitomised the industrious stereotype of the modern English game: powerful, passionate and committed. Although perhaps he would object to the term ‘English’: this proud Welshman represented his country 85 times as a player, before taking the reigns as manager last year in a period in which he has overseen a mini revival of fortunes, aided by the exciting young talents of Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey.

The list of clubs Speed represented is a reflection of the man himself. Leeds Utd, Everton, Bolton, Newcastle and Sheffield Utd: no nonsense northern clubs who have generally resisted the celebrity circus that has engulfed the country’s elite football establishments, clubs at the heart of their communities, and Speed was at the heart of them. The fans appreciated his work ethic and rejection of the flash celebrity lifestyle. Perhaps they saw in Speed a reflection of themselves, a working man made good and staying true to his roots.

His death comes as such a shock in both its timing and manner. Speed, just 42, was reportedly found hanged in his Chester home early on Sunday 27 November morning.
What can possess a successful man, financially secure and revered in his profession, to take his own life?

Perhaps his death will highlight that depression is an illness which can strike us all. Whatever the public persona that Speed presented, it is clear he had problems within that drew him to such a tragic end.   Football has lost something that it can ill afford to: an honourable man.

BY COLIN WILLIAMSON

What does your new role entail?

It incorporates a broad range of things. Firstly, there is what people probably perceive it to be, which is the elite level and performance side of thing, the most important aspect of which is theGAAAcademy, through which we endeavour to progress players as much as possible. Most of the players we get have aspirations of playing at county level, so we have a two-fold approach to their development: We try to develop them physically, emotionally and tactically, to benefit Queen’s and make them better players for us, and from the athletes perspective we try and turn them into county seniors so they can achieve their personal ambitions.

Secondly, there is the recreational side of things. We’re trying to get as many people as we can playing the game. This isn’t the easiest thing to do in GAA, as at every level it is very competitive, there is no ‘tag’ version of our game. We’re trying to develop our thirds teams, our more recreational and social teams, and integrate people we don’t normally see up here, guys who may have played a bit of football before but we wouldn’t ordinarily see at the club. We are also trying to encourage people to join from outside our normal parameters, we have a lot of international students who may see our game and want to get involved and we want to give them that chance.

I also have a role in reaching out to local schools and helping them with their programmes. A big part of this is helping them get access to facilities. The Dub lies empty for half the week, yet there are schools inBelfastwho struggle to find decent pitches, so we can help in that regard.

What were your initial thoughts on the setup in place at Queen’s when you arrived, and therefore how much work you had to do?

There is a lot of work to do, but that is because of the targets that have been set. Having coached here for three years, I had a fair idea of the setup already. The relationship with Queen’s Sport has been key, and over the past 2-3 years this has advanced massively. There has been a big emphasis on sports from the university and this has benefited all clubs, not just the GAA.

The first year is really going to be a testing ground, and we’ll see where we go after that.

There are 4 academy sports at Queen’s; Rugby, Soccer, GAA and Rowing. Is there ever any interchanging of coaching and training ideas between you?

We would no doubt be open to that, but it’s not something that has happened much so far. The rugby development officer and I share an office so we have had a fair few conversations about the crossover of ideas. There are things we can learn about the fitness work our guys do away from the pitch. Traditionally in GAA, the guys run and run and run and run! We’re finding that guys are getting injured and their careers are over before they’ve even peaked. I’ve had conversations with Mark [Fangen-Hall, Rowing coach] about the work our guys do pre-season and what they can learn from the rowers, see the work those guys do.

Boxing and Ju-Jitsu are part of the work we do. Boxing will be part of our pre-season work this year, we have a fight night in December with UUJ so it has added incentive!
We have great time pressures on our players. A lot of them will be playing for their county, their club and also with us, so we are limited in the time we have with them and what we can do with them.

With players playing for their county, club and university, where do their priorities lie?

We would have six to seven players on a county panel in a good year, three to four of them would be starting. Speaking for myself, when I played, county would always come first. It’s the same today, and that’s totally understandable. The club season and the university season don’t really overlap, unless the boys are making to the latter stages of the All-Ireland, in which case they will obviously focus on their club.

Playing for the university is a massive opportunity for the players, it puts them in the shop window, playing against county sides, and gives them the chance to get noticed.
So many of the guys are keen to give every team their best, and with their different teams aiming to peak at different times, it’s very difficult to strike a balance.

Do the GAA not have an enforced lay off period from training?

In November and December county players are not supposed to meet and train as a group, but you can’t stop people training. Also, this doesn’t apply to university athletes as it’s during our season. There is a school of thought which says it is a money saving exercise by the GAA. It means they don’t have to pay expenses during those two months as, in theory, people aren’t playing.

You are the assistant manager at Down. What do you think is the main difference between a county level athlete and a university athlete?

The core of a county squad is going to be aged 22-30, and the mature guys who are still playing county football at that age are making a commitment and they’re very, very serious, they’ll do anything. You’ll have a core at university who will do anything as well, guys who want to get to the top, but a lot of the guys at university will train hard when they’re there, but they enjoy the social side. They don’t always eat right, sleep well and look after themselves outside of training.

What advice would you have for Freshers who are looking to make the step up from schoolboy athlete to university athlete?

The schools system is quite a sheltered system, there isn’t the same level of pressure. The standard is very good, but not all the best schoolboy players will make the step up to university level, it’s a much more physical game.

The conditioning side of things really kicks on when you get to university. You really need to kick on fast. That’s not to say you spend every day in the gym, certainly not, but you really need to pay attention to that side of things. If you really want to develop as an athlete, in this window of development, you really must get the conditioning right. You can’t neglect your football either, the coaching here at Queen’s, especially the incoming fresher manager, is top notch.

Do you actively recruit the best schoolboy athletes?

It’s a very competitive environment, and Queen’s have been slow starters in this regard. DCU and UCD have been very active on this front for a while. Jordanstown have also been ahead of the game.

We run an inspiration day, targeting the best youngsters in Leinster andUlster, to come and see what Queen’s is about. We run seminars and high performance workshops, inviting about 65 youngsters in total.

We also run roadshows around the country, presenting our facilities and what’s on offer at Queen’s.

We can’t make any promises on our academy places, as it’s so competitive, but we have a lot to offer.

The main university event is the Siegerson Cup, what are your chances of success this year?

It’s a realistic goal. We have a strong team this year, and we have every opportunity of kicking on.

Longer term we’re focusing on getting a strong intake of freshers this year and next year, with a view to winning the Siegerson in 2014 when we will be hosting the event. If we win it before then, great.

We would be hoping to win the Freshers’ All-Irelands this year, this years Fresher team and next years Fresher team are very important to us.

Where would you see Queens in 5 years?

I have annual targets, which will progress, will be reviewed annually and will be reset. I have just put the finishing touches to a three year plan which will be in place next month.

I’d like the club to be a lot more sustainable, I’d like the club to hold onto a lot more youngsters than we do, train them better. Obviously it’s difficult with the roll in, roll out nature of university, you don’t have the longevity with people, but we want the structure and governance in place to assist a smoother hand over from year to year.

On the playing side of things, which is the benchmark really, I’d like to make conditioning a priority. We have a part time strength and conditioning coach at the moment, I’d like to see that become full time. Overall, I’d like Queen’s to be recognised as a centre of excellence, where every aspect of preparation is taken care of.

Away from the elite side of things, we want the club to be much more inclusive, we want to encourage people to just play the game and push the non-competitive, recreational aspect of the sport.

Darren Clarke’s magnificent win at the weekend at the Royal St. George course in England has cemented Northern Ireland’s place as the current golfing capital of the world. Three major winners in thirteen months are from the north. Moreover six winners of the last seventeen majors have come from the island of Ireland. Surely the time is right for the Open championship to return to these shores for the first time in over half a century.

BY SEAN ASHFORD

The Open is one of golf’s four majors and is the oldest and most prestigious of them all. Each year the course rotates around nine courses in England and Scotland. St Andrews, the ancestral home of golf, plays host every fifth year. The last time Northern Ireland hosted the tournament was in 1951, when Englishman Max Faulkner conquered the championship course at Royal Portrush.

Sixty years on and Northern Ireland is punching well above its weight in the golfing world. The result of all the attention has been to renew calls for Northern Ireland to host the Open in recognition of the achievements of Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke.

Aside for the inherent nationalistic feelings, there are numerous legitimate reasons why Northern Ireland would be a suitable host for a major golfing tournament. Firstly, we have two of the world’s most renowned courses in Royal Portrush and Royal County Down. On the outskirts of Newcastle, Royal County Down has been consistently named as one of the best golf courses in the world.  It was named the best course outside America by Golf Digest in 2007, and the course record happens to be held by a certain Tiger Woods who carded a 65 there. However, the course is not spectator friendly and does not have the ability to cater for the large influx of people the Open Championship would bring.

A more realistic proposition would be a return to Royal Portrush. Regarded by many as one of the most difficult courses in the world, it consistently makes top 10 lists of courses around the world. Its par three 14^th hole, nicknamed ‘Calamity’, is one of the most dangerous holes in championship golf. It’s a classic links course, and the weather on the north coast would certainly guarantee action. All three of Northern Ireland’s top golfers have called for the Open to be held in Portrush, and the club now boasts the gold medal won by Darren Clarke in the Open last week in its vast trophy cabinet.

However, Portrush also suffers in that its fairways are wedged between the sea and the hills, making it difficult to attract the large crowds places like Troon in Scotland can attract. This argument is perhaps not as persuasive as naysayers would have us believe, as the Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club covers less acreage than Portrush but will host the competition next year. The other major problem is transport. Despite its proximity to Coleraine, not to mention Portstewart and (obviously) Portrush, spectators must be able to travel to and from the golf course, but also to nearby towns and cities so as the local economy takes the greatest possible benefit from the hosting of such an event. With many tickets for the Open only for certain days of the four-day event, there exists an opportunity for Northern Ireland to showcase itself during their breaks from watching the golf, but also to capitalise on the opportunity by enticing them to the towns in the area thus providing a much needed shot in the arm for the local economy. The most obvious way to do this would be via the adjacent rail network which would take them through Coleraine, Limavady and on to Derry. However, this stretch of railway is the only section not to have undergone any redevelopment in recent decades and with plans to cut the number of trains on the line daily from nine to five, then the much needed investment is unlikely to be forthcoming.

On the issue of local transport, a Translink spokesperson has said ”There are a number of high-profile events which occur on the north coast each year, the North West 200 and the Portrush Airshow. The current road network manages to cope with these large visitor numbers. For any event, the organisers will prepare an event plan to cover all appropriate areas, including traffic management and transportation.”

Despite all this there remains a strong possibility that Northern Ireland will be rewarded for the achievements of its golfing heroes. Undoubtedly there are the courses to host the events. It is simply a matter of whether Stormont politicians are willing to invest money into turning Northern Ireland into a viable alternative to the traditional courses and capitalising on the events of the last 13 months to boost the economy here. With the trade and tourism boost that hosting the Open would bring, any investment would more than prove its value, and it would certainly help pay for the expensive receptions our golfers keep getting at Stormont these days.

BY SEAN ASHFORD

Iain Henderson and James McKinney of Queen’s University have spent the last number of weeks in Italy at the event which has showcased a number of the brightest talents in world rugby over its life, including All Black star Dan Carter and Irish legend Brian O’Driscoll. The tournament brings together teams from 12 major rugby playing nations so to give the stars of the future a chance to showcase their talents.

The tournament was a disappointing one for the Irish team as two losses against South Africa and a narrow defeat at the hands of England (25-33) were poor reward for the effort shown by the players. Their only win came against Scotland by 30 points to 13 which resulted in Ireland finishing 3^rd in the group and being forced into a second game against the ‘Baby Boks’ where they were defeated 57-15.

The final game of the competition for the Irish team was the 7^th place playoff against a Welsh team still recovering from a 92-0 annihilation at the hands of New Zealand. However, the Welsh proved too strong for the Irish and, despite scores from both Queens’ players, they ran out 38-24 victors.

Second-row Henderson started for Ireland in four of the five games, making a substitute appearance in the first game against South Africa when Ireland were defeated 26-42, and managing to score a try in the final game of the tournament against Wales. McKinney, in his second tournament at this level, was largely used as a replacement, though he did start at fly-half for the first game against South Africa, a game in which he managed to score an impressive 14 points against the Baby Boks, part of his total of 34 for the tournament, and he also started the final game against Wales.

Other young Ulster players were also present at the tournament, including Dungannon’s Paddy Jackson and Craig Gilroy both of who have appeared for Ulster a number of times last season.

The tournament was won by New Zealand who defeated England in the final to make it four wins in a row for the junior All Blacks.

What is a crisis? Perhaps it is a time of great difficulty or a period of instability. The definition of what actually constitutes ‘a crisis’ is open to interpretation and often context-dependent. However, what is certain is that the corruption scandal that has hit FIFA has left this all-powerful organisation in the midst of a major crisis.

By John Benedict-Farrel

That is unless of course your name is Joseph S. Blatter.  FIFA’s President has always had a rather curious outlook on matters that would seem like common sense to the average punter. It has for a long time been the way of world football’s governing body to bury its head in the sand at the first sign of trouble and hope for things to blow over. Except this time the allegations levelled that FIFA officials from top to bottom are lining their own pockets with illegal payments are a little more problematic.

FIFA started over a century ago as a modest group of individuals passionate about football with the simple aim of furthering the development of the game. Much has changed since then, with the organisation enjoying a global reach with even more associate members than the United Nations.  With globalisation came the opportunity for financial gain, but as some say, the love of money is the root of all evil. Greed has taken hold of FIFA’s officials, and they have been swept up by their own self-importance to the extent that nearly every scenario is now viewed as carrying the prospect of personal profit. The bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups last year, which also saw the suspension of two officials for offering to sell their votes, cast light upon this fact.

Qatar won the right to host the 2022 tournament, but doubts have since been raised as to the legitimacy of this decision.  The inspectors’ pre-voting report stated that it would be the least suitable venue to host it of all the bidding nations. Yet Qatar still won. Why? Jerome Valcke, FIFA’s General Secretary, suggested that money was exchanged for votes, whilst another FIFA official was secretly filmed explicitly saying that the Qatari bid team would have paid up to $500,000 to members of the Executive Committee for their support. This is evidence that something is seriously amiss, and yet Mr Blatter has chosen to turn a blind eye. Personal interests obviously come higher than the protection of the game’s integrity.

Underhand dealings are nothing new to Blatter. His reign as FIFA President began under a cloud of accusations that as much as $50,000 had changed hands to secure each of the 20 crucial votes that won him the Presidency in 1998. This was hardly a perfect start and is a problem which has been allowed to grow into a trend under his not so watchful gaze. Documents were recently uncovered detailing millions of dollars of payments to various officials by a rights-holder during the 1990s. Yet no action was taken by FIFA. In fact there was no investigation whatsoever. In 2006, his right-hand man, Jack Warner, was embroiled in a controversy where he touted tickets for World Cup matches at a 200% mark-up. Alarm bells sounded around the globe, yet Warner faced no repercussions from within the organisation.  He should have, but the powers that be wished once more to ensure its top dogs remained untouchable, so chose not to act – a grave error.

Five years on, Warner has finally been collared for more misdemeanours, as has the man who was to challenge Blatter for the Presidency, Mohamed bin Hammam. Blatter has been all too keen to tell us about FIFA’s Code of Ethics and how it is keeping members in check. Nothing could be further from the truth. This document is no more than a mission statement that is intended to deter any challenge from the media and is loosely adhered to by many officials. It is ambiguous, and doesn’t even lay out the penalties for being in breach of it, except suggesting that anyone who does mightn’t be appropriate for office. The fact is that not one FIFA official found to be in breach of the Code has ever been dismissed. Mr Blatter believes that any problems in his organisation can be solved through “faith, energy and morals,” and points to this booklet as if it is the solution. This approach is simply sweeping the issue under the carpet. In Blatter’s flawed opinion, The Only Way Is Ethics.

So what now for FIFA? How does this institution solve its problems and clean up its act for good? The simple answer is that its hierarchy must be torn down and rebuilt, giving up its power and returning to its humble roots and acting purely in the interests of football. However, football has a lot to thank FIFA for, so it must be done in a way that maintains the size of the sport but restores people’s faith in the system. We can only hope that FIFA can bring itself to acknowledge this too and decide to act upon it. The game must always be the priority – without it, FIFA would be nothing. Sadly, somewhere along the line they have lost sight of this.

BY COLIN WILLIAMSON

The pace and skill required for the abbreviated form of the game suited the exciting brand of rugby demonstrated by QUBRFC over the past two seasons, which has seen the club claim the All Ireland League Division 3 title and firmly establish themselves in Division 2. A competitive and successful foray into Sevens rugby will surely set the boys up for further success next season, with promotion to the top table of Irish Rugby the ultimate goal.

This most recent victory affords the students a shot at the All Ireland title, to be fought out amongst the other provincial champions at St Mary’s College RFC, Dublin, on the 21^st May.

BY COLIN WILLIAMSON

For the Queen’s crews, used to the placid waters of the River Lagan, the weekend was to prove a technical challenge as a brisk easterly wind whipped the lake into scene a more conducive to sailing than rowing.

The Regatta was split across Beginner, Intermediate and Championship level disciplines, with Queen’s represented across all three for both men and women.

Following on from their dominant performances in the Beginner category in 2010, the Queen’s girls showed they were more than ready for the step up as they swept all before them at Intermediate, taking the prestigious Eights and Fours titles. This upward trend can surely only continue, as the beginner class of 2011 showed they were a match for their forbears, retaining the Beginner eights title with room to spare. The cherry on the cake was a bronze medal in Championship Coxed Fours, showing that Queen’s ladies have truly arrived at the top table of university rowing.

The men had caused a stir in 2010 by upsetting the established order and taking the Blue Riband Championship Eights title. This year they arrived as the crew to beat, but couldn’t quite find the speed over a course shortened due to the adverse weather conditions, finishing outside the medals in fourth. There was comfort to be had elsewhere, with the Intermediate men retaining their Eights title and finishing first and second in the Four. Queen’s solitary Championship gold was to come from the Men’s Coxless Four, who held off a battling Bristol at the line. Further championship success came in the Double Scull (Bronze) and Pair (Silver). In the final race of the regatta, the Men’s Championship Quad were edged out in a thrilling sprint to the line, having to settle for second place again.

The weekend performances, which resulted in Queen’s finishing second in the Medal Table, are further testament to the progress made over the past two years under Head Coach Mark Fangen-Hall. “I was as delighted with this result as any in my coaching career,” said the former Cambridge University Boat Club man, “to see pretty much every person claim a medal was very satisfying. BUCS is a great regatta because it allows everyone at every level to have meaningful races with opposition of a similar standard. It is now one of our main highlights and we look forward to returning in years to come”.

Queen’s rowers now set their sights on success at the Irish Championships in July, with trips to the prestigious Henley Women’s Regatta and Henley Royal Regatta in the interim. In addition, senior rower Jonny Mitchell links up with the Irish team as they head to Essen Regatta this weekend, an important step as he looks to gain selection for the World under 23 Championships later this summer.

Some people took the opportunity to punch but the majority just donated the money. We would like to thank everyone who donated – all proceeds are going to Japanese Red Cross the club isalso running the the Team Relay of the Belfast Marathon on May 2nd. There will be forms available at the PEC reception for anyone who wants to sponsor us.

Once again – thank you very much.

Michael Cole

Club Instructor

The second year medics fielded a largely unchanged side and were captained by Karl Love. QUB Christian Union decided to make major changes, substantially reducing the size of their squad. They were captained by Alexander Redpath.

Both sides worked tirelessly in what was a tightly contested match. QUB Christian Union took an early lead with an unconverted try within the first ten minutes. However medics responded in swift fashion, converting to make it 7-5 in their favour.

At the half QUB Christian Union trailed by 14-10 but started the second half in a positive fashion and scoring in the opening minutes of the second half to make it 15-14. The CU side built upon their lead with another unconverted try and the match swung in their favour at 20-14.

With just 9 minutes left on the clock, the medics notched up a try to make it 20-19 to Queen’s. They missed the subsequent conversion opportunity, which would have put them ahead in the final minutes of the match. The CU exploited their opponents’ misfortune play to score one converted and one unconverted try in the space of a few minutes. The match finished at 32-19.

Tackling was undoubtedly the pivotal deficiency in the medics’ game with a number of opportunistic tries being conceded due to missed tackles.

While QUB Christian Union won by a comfortable margin at the end, the game was tighter than the score line suggested. The CU will need to focus on improving certain aspects of their game. Kicking was poor with a 16 per cent conversion rate. However, despite finishing the half behind and coming under constant pressure from a strong side, they kept their heads and their composure paid dividends.

The last Six Nations before the World Cup is just around the corner. It is the last competitive opportunity for coaches to experiment with their squads before flying out to New Zealand this summer. The tension in the build up has been palpable, with none of the teams anywhere near ready to take on the might of the southern hemisphere’s ‘big three’. The desire to gain momentum ahead of the World Cup cannot be far from the coaches’s minds, so don’t expect anything too outlandish ahead of this weekend’s opening fixtures.

BY SEAN ASHFORD

The first game pits the injury-ravaged Welsh against a resurgent England team who, despite entering the competition as favourites, are still yet to achieve any level of consistency. With the loss of Laws and Croft from the forwards, the pack lacks the dynamism to get over the gain line at speed as well as reducing their mobility across the pitch. The result may be to revert back to the up-the-jumper approach taken by England sides over the last decade, which would be a shame because with exciting runners like Chris Ashton and Ben Foden out wide this England team has some serious pace. As for Wales, so dominant over the last 2 years, has recently become a significantly less potent weapon. Also due to injuries and loss of form in the back line, the Welsh backs appear not to have the ability to cut through opposition defences like they were able to during the last grand-slam year. Nevertheless, Wales are always dangerous from broken play, and with some exciting youngsters coming through such as Sam Warburton and Jonathan Davies they can never be discounted.

The second game of the weekend sees Ireland travel to Rome to face Italy. Like Wales, Ireland have serious injury concerns ahead of the tournament especially in the back row and back three. With Mike Ross starting in the front row however Ireland may finally have found a prop able to give a solid foundation in the scrum. Ross has benefited from the performances of Leinster in the Heineken Cup, and with the majority of the squad drawn from Leinster they should enter the competition with high hopes. In particular the performances of Sean O’Brian at number 8 have been quite simply awe inspiring. O’Brian has been the form player in Irish rugby this season and if he can carry this type of performance on to the international stage then, when Stephen Ferris returns from injury, Ireland will boast one of the most impressive back rows in the world.

The loss of form of the Munster contingent is a worry as is coach Kidney’s desire to stick with them. Nowhere is this more evident than in the second row where he has chosen Paul O’Connell and Donncha O’Callaghan ahead of Leo Cullen. O’Callaghan has been in poor form all season and O’Connell has achieved little since returning from injury than getting sent off only minutes into his comeback. The lack of Ulster players is also something of a surprise, with the exclusion of the in-form Ian Humphries and Dan Tuhoy in particular being unfortunate. However with most of the injuries scheduled to return before the end of the tournament, Ireland could conceivably peak just at the right time to gain momentum ahead of the World Cup. The outlook isn’t quite so rosy for the Italians however. Still lacking a genuine fly half, and with a very inexperienced (yet talented) scrum half, they could struggle to control matches. On the other hand, with the addition of the two Italian teams to the Magners League they have been exposed to more top class rugby this year and it will be interesting to see what effect this may have.

Finally the game between France and Scotland rounds off the opening weekend. France have shown their Jekyll and Hyde characteristics over the last year, with excellent performances in last year’s Six Nations tempered by a devastating loss against Australia which shook French rugby to its core. They have the players to win the competition, with a perfect mix of pace and power across the team as well as a level of strength in depth that the Celtic nations could only dream of – just look at the players who can’t even make the squad in both the front row and the back line. However, as is always the problem with the French their unpredictability will ultimately prove to be their downfall. At home they are almost invincible, but will struggle once they leave Paris and with Marc Lievremont in charge it is highly unlikely to change any time soon. As for Scotland, 7 tries in 13 games under Andy Robinson tells its own story. Scotland lack any sort of try scoring ability, relying heavily on the boot of Dan Parks. They have momentum going into the tournament and they will cause problems for any team, however their inability to score will prevent them from winning far too many games for them to be a threat.

Overall then it would seem that England are entering the tournament in the best shape, with France and Ireland close behind. Scotland will certainly be competitive, leaving Wales and Italy to fight it out for the wooden spoon. This year promises to be one of the tightest tournaments for many years, with every team capable of beating the other. If Wales can defeat England on the opening night then expect fireworks right down to the last kick of the tournament.

BY RYAN SIMPSON

Many already knew the IFA’s case was likely doomed to failure given FIFA’s very firm stance on the situation. However officials within the association saw it as an absolutely necessary step to take in order to protect the future of the national game in Northern Ireland. Many may look on the situation and think that the IFA are simply denying a player’s right to represent the Republic of Ireland under the current laws of the Good Friday Agreement. However, this is a dispute that runs much deeper than this and has indeed developed into a very complex dilemma.

The Good Friday Agreement allows citizens living within Northern Ireland who consider themselves ‘Irish’ to apply for a southern passport. Many young footballers living in the North have exploited this law to its full potential; however the IFA would argue that this directly contravenes FIFA’s own laws which stipulate player eligibility. FIFA states that to represent a footballing association, you must satisfy one of the following requirements:

-          You were born on the territory of the relevant association;

-          Your biological mother or biological father was born on the territory of the relevant association;

-          Your grandmother or grandfather was born on the territory of the relevant association;

-          You have lived continuously on the territory of the relevant association for two years.

In the case of Daniel Kearns and more notably Darron Gibson (now playing for the Republic), neither of them satisfy any of the FIFA requirements to represent another association other than Northern Ireland. Still, this argument runs even deeper. The Irish FA has successfully run its ‘Football for all’ campaign for several years now, encouraging people of all religious and political backgrounds to become involved in football at international and grassroots level. They have also invested a sizeable amount of money in the development of young players in Northern Ireland only to see scouts from the Republic regularly come to inspect the quality of players the IFA is grooming, and in some cases actively encourage players to switch allegiances.

This situation throws up a major dilemma for the Irish FA as with CAS latest ruling, it means they no longer have any authority to stop a player from changing sides. Indeed, the IFA would argue that this puts them at a direct disadvantage to any other European footballing nation and damages their chances of continuing to challenge on the international stage. At the very least it appears that the IFA should be entitled to some form of compensation when a player decides to defect after having been developed by IFA coaches. Inevitably, many people will question the validity of an international team that isn’t the sole representative of players from this country.

The power of football to bring people together in this country should never be under-estimated, but CAS’s decision is no doubt a setback for the IFA in its bid to create a ‘team for all’. As for player eligibility, it’s an issue that supporters and fans alike will have to continue to agree to disagree on for quite some time.

BY DAMIEN EDGAR

A stunning display of attacking football from Germany saw Miroslav Kolse, Lukas Podolski and Thomas Muller (2), all find the England net. As stunning as Germany’s attacking array was, it was more shocking how poor England’s defence performed. Time and time again the central pairing of John Terry and Matthew Upson was pulled too far apart, as the Germans pass and move game took glorious effect.

This defensive frailty was perfectly illustrated by Germany’s first goal as a “Hail Mary” ball from Neuer managed to send the England duo into meltdown. Klose, helping the ball into the England net, simultaneously helped the German goalkeeper claim an assist to the goal. Again the defence was pulled all over the pitch for Germany’s second goal, allowing Muller to find Podolski in space, the German hitman smashing the ball through the legs of the advancing David James.

Terry, moved to the right side of central defence to accommodate Upson, seemed out of sorts and Upson himself seemed to be letting his nerves get the better of him, until he rose to thump in a header to make it 2-1 in the 37^th minute.

What followed was arguably the worst decision of the World Cup, a real contender with Kaka’s sending off in the group stages. Following good build up play from England in a rare ten-minute spell of dominance just before half time, Frank Lampard received the ball on the edge of the area. In the sort of position he excels in at club level, Lampard coolly lifted the ball over the despairing hands of Manuel Neuer, glancing the crossbar and finding the back of the German net. However, despite the ball being a clear foot over the line, Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda waved play on, much to the consternation of the England players and managerial team.

The England team emerged after the break with an air of defeatism, the wind clearly taken out of their sails by the disallowed goal. Capello’s words had failed to raise the spirits of the players and the Germans began to assert their authority once more,  with Ozil pulling all the strings.

England did their best to keep the game competitive, but it was no surprise when Germany broke in the 67^th minute, Muller ending a delightful move with a composed drive. England goalkeeper David James’ positioning and handling was, however, suspect for the goal, despite the excellent game he had enjoyed up until that point.

There was nothing David James could do three minutes later however, as England midfielder Gareth Barry’s complete lack of pace and belief was exposed by Mesut Ozil. Beating Barry to a long ball despite his opponent’s ten yard head start, Ozil showed shear composure in coolly outpacing Barry and slotting the ball through Ashley Cole’s legs for the advancing Muller to slot past the fruitless lunge of the England goalkeeper.

The game became a formality after that, with every England player playing for the final whistle, to release them from their misery. What has become apparent as a result of this game is that the so-called “golden generation” of England footballers lacked the big game mentality required to justify their nickname, and that this emerging generation of German talent has a much brighter future ahead of them, even if they should fail to make it past the quarter final stage.

Illustration by Niall Mooney

Trinity Men’s captain, Peter Croke, had set the tone for the race, claiming that TCD “had never approached the University boat race lightly” and this year would be no exception.

A comfortable victory witnessed Queen’s Men pull ahead by five lengths as they approached the finish line at Queen’s University Boat Club. Trinity were expected to cut the lead by three lengths, however they soon lost their seventh oar and the end result was merely a formality. Speaking after the event, QUB’s Nathan Oliver claimed the victory had generated a “fantastic feeling” among the team and attributed Saturday’s success to their hard work over the winter period.

Overall, it was a day of mixed emotions for Queen’s rowers. QUB’s Rowing Novice Women won their contest, while Trinity triumphed in both the Novice Men’s and Senior Women’s events.

Queen’s Senior Men now look forward to competing in the World and European Championships in the coming months. For David Russell of Queen’s Rowing the university is now “a centre of excellence” when it comes to the sport, and “is being chosen by top rowers over the usual Rowing Universities such as Cambridge or Reading”.

 BY GOWN REPORTER

Queen’s Intermediate began with a fine win over Oxford Brookes, producing a one-length lead over their rivals to take the gold medal in a time of 5:58.22. The Champions eight final began shortly after. Finishing just two seconds ahead of second placed Oxford, QUB claimed a gold medal in first position. The women’s intermediate pair and men’s Championship Sculler (Williamson) reached their respective finals.

 The Queens ladies’ Beginner four won the gold medal in their event, comfortably seeing off Cardiff in second place. The men’s Intermediate four continued their good form, claiming gold in their final having beat Imperial College London by two seconds. Light-weights Damian Hannon and Jonathan Mitchell also made it to their final, but suffered a narrow defeat at the hands of the U23 Great Britain internationals of Imperial College London.

 The women’s Intermediate four continued Queen’s University’s fine form, but narrowly finished third in their semi-final. In the end QUB ladies claimed a bronze medal position. A convincing Cambridge took the gold, 6 seconds ahead of the Queen’s ladies.

 The ladies’ Beginner eight confidently defeated Cardiff in the final by a comfortable 6 second margin, taking gold in their first BUCS Championship.

 A promising men’s quad claimed victory over Newcastle and Durham to seal gold. This final contest of the competition ensured Queen’s Rowing left Nottingham with six gold medals, one silver and one bronze in the championship. Queen’s senior men will certainly take great confidence from this landmark occasion to their next event, to be held at the International Wedau-Regatta, Duisburg, Germany on the 14-16 May 2010.

BY JONNY MADILL

God Save the Queen, the National Anthem of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, has been played before every international football match at Windsor Park since Northern Ireland’s birth as a footballing nation in 1920. Throughout the history of the Irish Football Association, debate has often arisen over whether a new Northern Ireland specific anthem would be more suitable. Such debate is as rife today as it has ever been.

At the beginning of March, the Newsletter reported that UUP officer Kenny Donaldson was in favour of finding a new anthem to replace the playing of God Save the Queen before Northern Ireland matches. He proposed that the change would create an added sense of identity to Northern Ireland football and that the new sporting anthem would be more representative of all communities and traditions throughout the province. He used the successes in Scotland and Wales of ‘Flower of Scotland’ and ‘Land of My Fathers’ respectively as an example of why it is time for change to be considered.

In a subsequent television interview with UTV, Irish Football Association President Raymond Kennedy failed to rule out the anthem issue being reconsidered, and hinted that the successful Football for All policy might in the future identify it as an area for the Association to review. His discussion of the possibility of local songwriters coming up with suitable alternatives to which the public could choose their favourite suggested that the IFA are as open to change as they have possibly ever been.

This was followed by the three main Unionist parties expressing their opposition to the idea. DUP MLA Ian Paisley Jnr was quoted in the Newsletter as describing the National Anthem as being “something that we should never concede” and that “unionist unity” should oppose any such attempt. UUP  spokesman on sports and culture David McNarry stated that his party was firmly against any such change, and Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister was reported in the Newsletter as accusing the IFA of “bringing politics into football”.

With an imminent election just around the corner, protecting Unionism is high on the agendas of Paisley, Allister, McNarry and co. But to me, and many others I suspect, they are entirely missing the point.

The credibility of God Save the Queen as the National Anthem of the United Kingdom, to which Northern Ireland is part of, is not under review in this debate; there is no question of that. Nor is Northern Ireland’s constitutional status at stake. What is under discussion is the possibility of a new Northern Ireland-specific sporting anthem for the Northern Ireland football team. The Unionist politicians’ interpretation of Donaldson’s proposal for change as an attempt to sabotage the Union is narrow-minded and ironically makes them guilty of exactly what Jim Allister accused the IFA of -  “bringing politics into football”.

Sinn Fein and the SDLP have been predictably just as eager to offer their political slant on the situation. Their politically-based motives for getting rid of God Save the Queen bear no similarities whatsoever to the purely sporting arguments put forward by Kenny Donaldson. They are therefore completely irrelevant.

Donaldson’s comments contained no political undertones whatsoever. He spoke from his heart as a devout Northern Ireland fan and as a man clearly proud of his Northern Irish identity. Maybe some of our elected MLAs should take a leaf out of this man’s book when it comes to leadership.

The damaging impact of outside interferences goes far beyond narrow-minded political agendas. Media intervention which fails in its attempt to portray the fans’ true opinions is precisely not what is required. In a Newsletter article on 15 March which read, “Fans share almost one voice on team song issue”, it was reported that “the clear majority viewpoint” was that God Save the Queen should continue to be played before international games. It was then claimed in an article in the same newspaper a day later that “a clear majority of Northern Ireland supporters are in favour of a specific sporting anthem being introduced, according to an online poll”.

An accurate reflection of supporters’ views cannot be sought by a few interviews on the street, as appeared to have been the case in the first article, or a glance at a poll on a fans’ forum in which only 300 supporters had so far voted, as was the case in the second Newsletter column. Consensus must be sought in the proper fashion. Support or opposition to a new anthem must come from within, not from insular politicians who want nothing other than to enhance their political agendas as election season looms, or from media organisations trying to stir up a debate.

Therefore the fans’ website ‘Our Wee Country’ should be applauded for recently instigating an online poll as a way of assessing the views of the supporters. In April 2008 an identical poll on the site found that less than 66% of those who voted (5% of the site’s population) were in favour of a new anthem. The current poll will be kept running for a period of a month, at the end of which the results will be compared to two years ago to ascertain whether the level of demand for change amongst the fans has increased. The poll administrator stated that if a larger percentage is in favour of change this time around, and provided that a larger proportion of the membership has voted, then the possibility of a Northern Ireland specific sporting anthem to replace God Save the Queen should be discussed.

With only a few days left of the poll’s duration, 76% of voters are in favour of change, albeit with less than 5% of the population having voted. Whilst the site’s scheme shows initiative in the midst of political ping-pong in the media, it is questionable whether the views of 300-400 supporters are sufficient to form a representative view of the entire fan-base. Therefore the IFA must find a way to ascertain an accurate representation of the views of the 14,000 Northern Ireland fans that enter Windsor Park before every home game and the thousands more who, unable to get their hands on a ticket, watch their team play in the comfort of their own homes or in local pubs throughout the province.

There are many committed supporters who are unable to become part of the block-booking scheme due to Windsor Park’s embarrassingly small capacity, myself being one of them. For those who attend as many games as they can, and travel around the world supporting the team in away fixtures, it would seem that contacting the 13,000 or so members of the block booking scheme might be the most feasible method of gaining a consensus amongst the fans. Working alongside the Amalgamation of Official Northern Ireland Supporters Clubs must also be a priority for the Association.

It is suggested that there is an inaccurate perception amongst some that the idea of a new anthem is an attempted erosion of our identity, and that it would result in some sort of victory for one side and defeat for the other. Indeed Unionists reading this might fear that their Britishness might in some way be compromised or diminished by such a drastic change. But as a devout Northern Ireland fan, proud of my British identity, I am most definitely warming to the prospect of having our own anthem. God Save the Queen will always be the National Anthem of the United Kingdom, to which I am a part of. But I am beginning to see how the creation of a specific sporting anthem for Northern Ireland football has the potential to enhance our identity and our culture rather than erode it.

I am proud of my Northern Irish identity, and therefore would be open to the idea of a new anthem that encapsulates the culture, identity and togetherness of Northern Ireland.

Only once the fans’ voices have been heard can this debate reach its conclusion. I cannot think of anything worse than the feeling of widespread opposition to the introduction of a new anthem oozing through the air of south Belfast in the hours leading up to a big game at Windsor Park. The impetus for change must come from the supporters themselves, and the IFA must ensure that no-one is alienated provided they use their initiative and actively seek consensus. There are good reasons on both sides of the argument and every true Northern Ireland fan must have a voice.  No change can come without the consent of the fans.

An undoubted sub-plot to the anthem debate is the argument that a Northern Ireland specific anthem might help to prevent the Darron Gibsons and Shane Duffys of the future from switching their allegiance to the Republic. Whilst the eligibility issue might not be one of the principal reasons for change, it is most certainly an underlying factor. Its timing is certainly convenient to say the least. A new anthem that has the potential to make playing for or supporting Northern Ireland a more inclusive experience for Nationalists would surely represent a positive change in many people’s minds.

It is believed that both the IFA and the Amalgamation of Official Northern Ireland Supporters Clubs are awaiting the results of the next Football for All report which is expected to either recommend a new anthem or dismiss the idea of change altogether. We wait with anticipation.

The question of what exactly might replace God Save the Queen is an issue for another day. A shake-up of ‘Danny Boy’ or a new anthem written by a distinguished local songwriter like Phil Coulter are legitimate suggestions, but for now the focus should be on assessing the demand for change amongst Northern Ireland’s footballing community.

Keeping the worlds of politics and football separate is an almost impossible task in any part of the world, let alone our own. But let’s hope that for the sake of our country’s football team and for Northern Ireland as a whole, it is not Stormont but the people who really matter who will be allowed to decide if a new sporting anthem is the way forward. The IFA must seek to ensure that the power remains in the hands of those who matter. Let the football community dictate the next stage of this debate and let’s keep politics out of Windsor Park.

His optimism, however, is questionable considering Northern Ireland’s recent run of bad form.

BY JULIE MCCULLAGH

They have failed to score in their last three matches, their latest result being a disappointing 1-0 home defeat to Group C opponents Serbia in November 2009. At club level, Northern Ireland players have been in fine form this season. Jonny Evans has become a regular fixture in the Manchester United back four. While Niall McGinn is on the verge at Celtic, Aaron Hughes and Chris Baird are Fulham regulars. Steven Davis is having the best season of his career with Rangers, and was recently named player of the SPL Player of the Month for January. David Healy’s recent loan move to Ipswich means that he too could soon be back playing first team football. Hopefully Healy can regain the form he displayed in his record-breaking 2008 European Qualifying campaign in time for September

The Republic of Ireland were given a kinder draw than that of Worthington’s men. Their group consists of Russia, Slovakia, FYR Macedonia, Armenia and Andorra; Slovakia being the only team that have qualified for this year’s World Cup. Trapattoni’s men will be looking for a more successful campaign than the World Cup qualifiers following the cruel way in which they were knocked out in the play-offs by France. Slovakia showed their strength in that campaign by finishing ahead of group favourites Poland and the Czech Republic, and will no doubt again prove to be difficult to overcome. Top seeded Russia’s Coach Guus Hiddink, who led them to the semi-finals of the Euros in 2008, announced that he will step down when his contract expires in June. This will give the other teams in Group B a psychological lift going into the qualifiers in September. Captain Robbie Keane’s recent loan to Celtic should see him secure first-team football once again following an indifferent start to the season with Tottenham. If the Republic replicates the form they showed during the World Cup qualifiers they surely stand a great chance of progressing from the group stages.

The football associations in each group have until 9^th March to decide the order of the fixtures.

BY PADDY O’SHEA

After an early weigh in and some rehydration, it was Dwaine Moore(57kg) who was up first against game Trinity boxer Michael Gibbons. Moore, who was making a return to the ring after a break gave the team a scare but ultimately his experience showed through as he won the bout on points.

Next up was Paddy O’Shea (67kg), co-founder of  QUB boxing club, against Martin Hynes of NUIG. A cagey first round left the fight up for grabs going into the second. A big right hand courtesy of the Galway man giving O’Shea a count and left the bout in Hynes’ favour and he got the decision on points.

In his first fight Simon Reid (75kg) had a very tough draw against TCD captain Séan Mulvaney. The experience and awkward south-paw stance of Mulvaney meant it was always going to be an uphill struggle for the Belfast man. The bout was stopped by the referee, in what many thought was a rather premature decision, at the end of the second round. The experience will stand to Reid and we expect great things in the future.

Chris Dunbar (81kg), the highly touted boxer entering the competition was drawn against fellow Belfast man Paddy Gallagher (UCD). In a bout that should have gone Dunbar’s way, a brawl took place which favoured the shorter Gallagher. A highly entertaining bout but unfortunately the UCD man’s hand was lifted at the end.

Brian Spencer (91kg) was crowned Irish Universities Heavy Weight Champion as he received a walk-over title. A special exhibition match was arranged with UCD boxer Robert Collins. Spencer boxed well, his superior fitness showing through. As it was an exhibition it was declared a draw.

Finally in the last match, John Maguire (67kg), co-founder of QUB boxing club, was matched against Spencer Pearson of Trinity. Maguire was giving away 4kg to his opponent but remained unfazed by this. In what was one of the most exciting matches of the day both boxers stood toe to toe for the three rounds. Although Maguire was clearly the fitter man he couldn’t quite land enough clean punches required by judges. As both boxers emerged battered and bruised the TCD man was declared the winner.

Mairéad Collins, QUB’s only girl weighed in but unfortunately could not get a match, but has high hopes for a bout in the near future.

BY DON MCDERMOTT

Fast forward one month and this idea has taken a significant blow. On the 8^th January the football community was rocked by the news that the Togo national team’s bus was subjected to gunfire on their way to Cabinda in the host nation of Angola. Sadly, three of the men travelling on the bus were murdered; the driver, the team’s assistant manager Abalo Amelete, and their media officer Stanislas Ocloo. What makes this all the more tragic is that this is the second major casualty to befall the Togo national team in three years. This follows the death of their Sports Minister Richard Attipoe in the 2007 Paramount Airlines helicopter crash, as he was on his way back from an African Nations Cup qualifier in Sierra Leone. This attack by the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda has led many figures in world football to question just how safe players and fans will be in South Africa during the World Cup finals?

What these people and many other worried observers need to remember is that Africa is a continent, not a country. The finals will be held thousands of miles away from Angola in South Africa, thus making such fears somewhat unfounded. People must remember that in the summer of 2009 the FIFA Confederations Cup was held in South Africa as a tester as to how they would host competition. The results on the whole were very positive with no such horrors as that which took place in Angola.

The next factor to consider is the organizational bodies behind the two events. The African Nations Cup is run by the Confederation of African Football. The blame must rest with them for scheduling the competition in a country where security was likely to be an issue, particularly when choosing Cabinda as a host venue in the first place. Responsibility also falls on the heads of the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda, who harmed their own cause by earning the condemnation of the entire world for their unprovoked and callous attack. But the fact remains; FIFA has a lot more money and power at its disposal that the CAF, and are sure to take every precaution necessary to make sure the World Cup goes ahead without a hitch. The world’s best players will be on display, and the potential for revenue is far greater than anything the African Nations Cup could dream off.

On the 10^th June 2010, the eyes of the world will be on Soccer City in Johannesburg for the first World Cup on African soil, and I for one cannot wait for what is sure to be a great festival of football.

BY DON MCDERMOTT

It is sad that I can no longer blame the likes of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres should they actively seek a move away this summer. I don’t think any supporter would blame them; it must be disheartening having the responsibility of carrying an entire team on their shoulders. A footballer’s career is a short one; at the end you hope to look back at the medals you have won, but this does not seem to be something Liverpool can offer them any more. They would grace any team in the world, so why should they stay at a club that never delivers? It doesn’t help that for many of the occasions when Liverpool has failed to deliver; the manager has laid the blame with the squad door rather than take some kind of responsibility. It is pathetic when Benitez continues to blame injuries for disappointing performances. A manager’s job is to protect his players, not throw them to the wolves to save his own hide.

Rafa’s post match press conferences are a great source of embarrassment for the club. Every week it seems as if the officials are at fault for missing a penalty decision or getting something wrong for his team failing to win. When not complaining about referees, it’s not having enough money transfer funds. In his years at Liverpool, Rafa has spent over £250 million on players, including youth players. Only three have lived up to any of their hype; Fernando Torres, Pepe Reina, Xavi Alonso and Yossi Benayoun. The problem is that he rarely puts his faith in Benayoun, and forced out Alonso in a failed attempt to sign then Aston Villa’s Gareth Barry. Very few football fans would rather have Barry than Xavi Alonso. Let us take a look at the man who eventually replaced Alonso; Alberto Aquilani. Here is a player who was injured for the first few months of the season, yet is still worth £25 million. If he is apparently fit, where is he? On the bench. £25 million blown on a player for the bench. A footballer, who, when he has played has looked too light for the Premiership. He can’t even get into the team ahead of Lucas, who is simply not good enough to play for Liverpool. Kop fans can no longer be surprised by a manager who sells Robbie Keane half way through the season last year, leaving his squad with only one world class striker, and then failing to address the issue, thus applying more pressure on Torres.

With my final words I would implore Mr Benitez to admit to Liverpool fans that he has taken the club as far as he can. Rafa must voluntarily step aside to save the club from crippling itself financially by having to pay him off, even if this means waiting until the season’s end for a class act like Hiddink, Mourinho or Guardiola. No longer can Benitez hide behind excuses without being held to account.

BY CIARÁN REID

Both teams entered the fixture with very little knowledge of either sport and as promised, this was a highly entertaining fixture. Queen’s Hurling fielded a team with a blend of young and experienced players, and in the end it was the relatively inexperienced John Moriarty and Cillian Ward who proved the heroes for the hurlers.

A sodden pitch and wet afternoon certainly did not deter the two eager teams. Queen’s hurlers made a positive start through an early goal, but a quick response from the Lacrosse team soon levelled the tie with a well taken goal from club chairman Jonny Burke. Indeed, Burke’s constant energetic and darting runs were a constant torment to the QUB hurlers throughout.

For Lacrosse, the experience of Siobhan Carroll was vital in attack. The Lacrosse team’s female contingent of Siobhan Carroll, Deirdre Swail, Camilla Thompsell and Ellie Torlot certainly proved that the newly formed club can compete, demonstrating a formidable attacking and vocal force. The first half whistle sounded with Queen’s hurlers taking the narrowest of leads into the break.

As the second half unfolded it look like Queen’s hurlers fought hard to hold their lead until the last five minutes; from nowhere, two goals in quick succession put Lacrosse in front for the first time. The minutes ticked by with a leveling score from the hurlers seeming increasingly unlikely until Cillian Ward stepped up to net a great ground stroke in the last puck of the game.

At full time the first ever lacrosse-hurling game had ended in deadlock and both sides decided to play five minutes of extra time; “The hits then flew”, according to Hurling chairman Ciarán Reid. It took three minutes into extra time for the hurlers to find the net, and a tense two minutes followed, but the hurlers however refused to fold and held on for a historic victory.

Under the watchful eye of an 8^th Dan Master, in the unfamiliar surroundings of Falkirk, QUB Taekwondo’s Michelle De La Vega earned recognition and hit new heights. But completing her first Dan black belt was no easy feat.

BY NEIL BRANNIGAN

Michelle is originally from Boston MA, and came to Belfast to complete a PhD in Biomedical Sciences/Cancer Biology. It was in Boston that she began Tae Kwon Do training, and after just four years she has achieved what all martial artists aim for.

Michelle recalls when she first arrived in Belfast and how signing up to the Queen’s club was her priority. She believes that finding a balance between university life and extra-curricular activities is crucial. “Without training I would not be able to study. Everyone needs something else besides class, or else you become too stressed.”

Throughout the process of grading, Michelle admits to her feelings of uncertainty and the constant instinct that things could have gone better. She said, “Once you throw nerves into the mix, everything seems more difficult; confidence is everything.”

Michelle De La Vega is certainly no stranger to competition. In addition to her grading she has won multiple awards in Poomase (patterns) as well as sparring medals. Coming third at the Scottish Poomase Championships the day after grading demonstrates the sheer determination required for Tae Kwon Do. However, two gold medals from the British Nationals and other awards ensure this hard work does not go unnoticed.

Though heavily involved in competing in Tae Kwon Do on the national stage, De La Vega also recognizes the social aspect of her sport. She is currently President of Queen’s TaeKwonDo club, and is keen to welcome all newcomers along to the “fantastic” society that has helped her reach undisputed levels.

Competitions are frequent and promotions earned; university is not just for class, but also for personal development. Michelle De La Vega’s story is not just one of individual motivation and achievement throughout Queen’s, but an example for all students from all societies.

BY ROBYN MCMURRAY

With entrants ranging from novice to elite, Queen’s Trampoline society welcomes new members of all levels. From the obligatory fancy dress on Friday to the night out on Saturday, the competition promises to be an opportunity for all members to stand out from the crowd, in both the sporting and social sector. From first year to final year, QUB Trampoline club would like students to “Come Bounce with Us”. All students are encouraged to learn a new sport, as well as represent the university and gain the extra-curricular experience which will undoubtedly stand by graduates.

BY EMMA CREEN

The PEC claims to have made membership “even more flexible”, with “new student packages” such as the option of paying monthly by direct debit, offers for peak and off-peak times, as well as an academic year 9-month membership. But what is not advertised is the fact that the prices of these membership packages have inflated to double what they were two years ago. Just two years ago, a Queen’s student could avail of an all-inclusive membership for £100. Now this has gone up to £222.

“Even more flexible” perhaps on paper, due to the various membership options, (which start at £112 for Queen’s students, if you opt for the 9-month off-peak rate, which isn’t much use for those with classes after 4pm) but sure to leave a large dent in your student loan. Even the cost for a non-member Queen’s student’s admission per visit to the gym, swimming pool or a fitness class has doubled from £2 to £4.

Instead of making the most of the facilities, many students are now unable to afford to use the PEC as often as previously; swimming three times a week now costs as much as paying for monthly membership by direct debit. It is clear that the PEC’s new price rates are there to encourage students to take out pricey memberships instead of coming and going as they please.

Regardless of the quality of facilities and equipment or the interior design of the building, surely a university sports facility should be there primarily for all students to enjoy, not reaping an enormous profit.

By Gown sport reporter

Depending on the weather, waiting pilots and your instructor, it is possible to stay up for a very long time without any additional charges. The instruction is carried out by voluntary expert instructors and the progress is recorded in a personal log book.  The QUBGC uses the Ulster Gliding Club facilities at the Bellarena Airfield (County Londonderry). So it is also possible to use the newer two seat glider of the Ulster Gliding Club for a soaring charge of 35p per minute. Flying is possible on Wednesday and Friday afternoons and on Saturdays and Sundays from dawn to dusk. The club also offers a ground school every Tuesday 8-9 pm, which is not compulsory but recommended. So if you want to try flying a small airplane or aim at getting a license at low cost the Queen’s University Belfast Gliding Club is worth a look.

For further information and details about the club please visit the clubs website:

http://gliding.club.qub.ac.uk/

Indeed, the university rowing is built on the premise of dreams. No other sport at Queen’s allows you to show up at try-outs with no previous experience and become a potential part of an Olympic racing team! The Queen’s team training is intensive. During the cold winter months a Queen’s rower is expected to rise six out of seven mornings to perform cardio-vascular activities; alternatively, if they are not to be found pumping away in the PEC, they are pushing their bodies to unknown boundaries on the water. Other students sometimes find it a personal achievement to rise before eleven and make it to class on time.

BY ORLA MACKLE

“Rowing isn’t just a sport it’s a lifestyle,” Queen’s PhD Psychology student and senior coax for the girls team claims. Aisling has been training with the Queen’s team for two years now and relays how the sport requires a high degree of determination and commitment.

But why does Aisling endure the early morning slogs and let’s be honest, ban on the lazy hung-over student way of life? “Well for a start it looks good on your CV, it shows off your time management skills and team building and it’s a great way for Freshers to build up a strong network of friends…It teaches you the essence of the word “team” because there are no individual medals in Rowing.”

Aisling also points out the opportunities that are available to travel with team as the Queen’s team is constantly competing in Ireland, England and Greater Europe. The notoriously spirited Queens v Trinity Race of which Queen’s currently holds the title is infamous. Just this past summer, the men’s senior crew, due to their excellent performance in the British University Championships were asked by the coach of Great Britain to represent the nation at the European University Championships in Poland.

This success of course spills over into the impressive women’s crew who were crowned second in the women’s Irish intermediate championships and also came second in the British championships.  Ex-Cambridge coach Mark Fangan-Hall’s moto “Train hard to race easy” has obviously infiltrated its way through the rowing ranks. At the time of publishing the men’s crew are also in the middle of trials for the upcoming squad to represent Ireland in the London Olympics.

It would appear that all the early morning starts are not in vain and the Queen’s team continue to sort out the weak form the chafe and sift out the most dedicated and inspiring student athletes QUB has to offer.

For anybody looking to put a punt on who’s going to win the Premier League or even clinch a Champions League place this year, they should probably withhold such confidence. Already this season, title holders Manchester United have been beaten my newcomers Burnley, Liverpool have went on their worst run since 1987 having lost four games in a row, and Chelsea were deservedly beaten my top four hopefuls Aston Villa. The established order is going through a shaky time indeed.

BY JASON GALLAGHER

Before the league started a few major changes had taken place. Who can argue that Ronaldo’s departure wasn’t a catalyst for Manchester United’s lack of flourish this season? This was the man who devastated the ‘lower order’ and renowned for arousing his teams confidence with the so called ‘step over.’ Fellow Mancunian’s, Man City enjoyed a spending spree like never before. Adebayor, Tevez, Barry and Santa Cruz were just a couple of the top names Mark Hughes managed to convince into joining, no doubt with the aim of a top four finish.

At present, Manchester City, Tottenham and Aston Villa are probably the only teams capable of breaking the mould; however, Sunderland lie just two points behind league favourites Liverpool. Over the past years, these were the teams always with ability to achieve, but always falling by the wayside. This year is different; these teams have players beginning to fulfil their potential for the first time, with such names as Craig Bellamy, Jermaine Defoe and James Milner giving performances that have destroyed defences made up of England’s best.

Funding by foreign investors has obviously accredited Man City’s rise to fame and fortune. However, for Tottenham and Aston Villa, managerial experience, excellent strategy and the excellent nurturing of young players have benefited their teams significantly.

Beach ball or not, the established order could look very different by the end of the season. Perhaps the ‘top four’ description will change to the ‘top six’, and maybe Manchester United will get stuffed by Hull City…but one thing is for sure, Match of Day will be on every Saturday night.

]]> http://thegown.org.uk/2009/10/27/sport-not-a-time-to-bet/feed/ 0 http://thegown.org.uk/2009/10/27/sport-queen%e2%80%99s-ryan-cup-fixtures-1sts-and-2nds-2009/ http://thegown.org.uk/2009/10/27/sport-queen%e2%80%99s-ryan-cup-fixtures-1sts-and-2nds-2009/#comments Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:18:20 +0000 Martin http://www.thegown.org.uk/?p=503 Continue reading →]]>

 Senior Roinn 1D

1. Queens University Belfast
2. University of Ulster Jordanstown
3. St Marys
4. Dundalk Institute of Technology

Rd 1 15.10.09 Thursday

Dundalk:   Dundalk IT (1-8)  v  QUB (2-13)

Jordanstown:   UUJ  v  St Marys

Rd 2 21.10.09 Wednesday

Jordanstown:   UUJ  v  Dundalk IT

St Pauls GAC:   St Mary’s  v  QUB

Rd 3 4.11.09 Wednesday

Casement:   QUB  v  UUJ

St Pauls GAC:   St Mary’s  v  Dundalk IT

Quarter Finals     Wednesday 11^th November

Home advantage group winners

(1)   _______________  v  ________________

        Winners A                          Runners up D

(2)   _______________  v  ________________

        Winners D                          Runners up A

(3)   _______________  v  ________________

        Winners B                          Runners up C

(4)   _______________  v  ________________

        Winners C                          Runners up B

Semi Finals      Wednesday 18^th November

Neutral Venues

 _______________  v  ________________

        Winners (1)                          Winners (3)

_______________  v  ________________

        Winners (2)                         Winners (4) 

Final       Tuesday 1^st December

_______________  v  ________________

Relegation Playoffs

Wednesday 18^th November

Neutral Venues

(1)   ________________  v  _________________

         Bottom Team A                 Bottom Team D

(2)   ________________  v  _________________

         Bottom Team B                 Bottom Team C

Intermediate D

1. Queens University Belfast
2. University of Ulster Jordanstown
3. St Marys
4. Dundalk Institute of Technology

Rd 1 14.10.09 Wednesday

Dundalk:   Dundalk IT  v  QUB

Jordanstown:  UUJ  v  St Marys

Rd 2 21.10.09 Wednesday

Jordanstown:    UUJ  v  Dundalk IT

St Pauls GAC:      St Mary’s  v  QUB

Rd 3 4.11.09 Wednesday

The Dub:   QUB  v  UUJ

St Pauls GAC:   St Mary’s  v  Dundalk IT

BY BRIAN QUINN

The announcement was delivered at around the same time it became apparent that France, Portugal and perhaps Germany might not make it to South Africa, and it wouldn’t be entirely profitable for FIFA to have two of these teams compete for one spot in the finals. This decision will no doubt rock the qualification hopes of smaller nations such as the Republic and Serbia. FIFA should concentrate more on developing and promoting the game in smaller footballing countries rather than see to it that their “big guns” are well looked after. The 2008 European Championships were a no England affair and as a football fan I can say that I enjoyed the tournament just as much without the presence of one of the big teams. (Actually in this case, I think it made the experience extra enjoyable.)

Ireland face a tall order in next month’s clashes with France, but all is not lost; once again the nation can display the same degree of mettle that they did against Italy and keep their composure right to the final whistle then they will have no cause to fear.

Geovanni Trappatoni’s men got off to the best possible start when Liam Lawrence’s squared free kick to Glenn Whelan met a sublime strike to put the hosts ahead. The Republic famously upset the Italians in 1994 by scoring early and holding out for the win. History would not repeat itself, however; just 17 minutes later the visitors were level when Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given fumbled a Mauro Camoranesi header at his near post from an Andrea Pirlo corner. The Italians, for whom a draw was sufficient, quite predictably shut up shop and held on to the ball without really testing Shay Given’s goal. The second half was to begin with Given picking the ball out of his own net again; fortunately for the Irish, however, Iaquinta’s header was ruled offside.

BY BRIAN QUINN

The second half was mostly without incident with the better chances falling to the Republic. Stephen Hunt replaced Aiden McGeady on 78 minutes and immediately began to worry the Italian back four. On 87 minutes he seemed to have broken free of the visitor’s defense only to be brought down on the edge of the area and winning his side a free kick. Hunt delivered into the box and the ball made its way into the back of the net via Sean St. Ledger’s head.

The reaction inside Croke Park was emphatic, with Stewarts failing to control the crowd in parts of the stadium. Victory was on the horizon; at least it seemed that way. Demonstrating the class of World Champions, the Italian’s were back on level terms through Gilardino’s unceremoniously equalizer in the 90th minute. Unbridled joy inside the arena became deathly silence, and to the unlucky Irish watching the final whistle did not signal a point earned, but two points dropped. The result means Ireland are guaranteed a play-off position for next year’s World Cup in South Africa, and having come so close to victory against the World Champions, the Republic will surely fancy their chances against any team in their path.

Media and sport go hand in hand in today’s society. Sport has become such a big part of our lives, and this may have a lot to do with much of it being covered in great detail by the media. Television mainly, allows us to follow a clubs success, and create our own judgements on their performance. So the issue of broadcasting Queen’s soccer and GAA matches, with the help of a live stream, to the Students Union has been raised quite recently.

Neil Brannigan

Queen’s athletes rank among some of the best in the country, competing at standards varying from a university to an international level. They train tirelessly throughout the year, in all weather conditions, watch their diets and training regimes like experienced professionals, and yet many go unrecognised. Our university has many sporting heroes; the PEC itself is lined with images of past pupils who went on to become successful ambassadors of their sport, and not enough is being done to promote their legacy and that of our rising stars using the media.

I can see only good things coming from Queen’s club matches being broadcast live at the Union. Not only would it promote our teams, but could also prove to generate more individual appreciation for our athletes. More people may become interested in travelling to watch games, and with a good baseline of support behind them, our lads might feel more valued.

If this scheme was to prove successful we could go one step up; broadcasting our teams’ matches on national television. UTV prides itself with covering local events throughout the six counties, so university matches would fit in perfectly! University competitions can generate extreme intensity and excitement. The games are of the highest quality, and really could rank more exciting than some of the yawn worthy premiership matches which are currently broadcast.

Our players need recognition. They are better role models than most celebrities circulating the ‘red carpet world’ at the minute; why not promote them? More supporters are also needed for our clubs, and this scheme could be just the answer.

If you have ever had a look at the sports available to you as a Queen’s student, you will know just how many there are. You can’t possibly try them all- that would be crazy. So how do you decide which one is right for you?

NEIL BRANNIGAN

If you are keen on taking up a sport, whether you are a new or returning student, then there are a few things to take into account: Firstly, you can call upon previous experience. If you have had a history of participation within a sport, now might be your chance to continue with it. Queen’s clubs are always welcoming new members, especially those with some experience. Our clubs will help you develop your skills and could also allow you the chance to compete anywhere from a provincial to an international level.

Many sports provide members with challenges, which can vary to suit you.  Would you favour the contact of rugby over the skill needed for basketball? Perhaps you would suit the relaxed yet competitive atmosphere of pool or even challenge yourself against the endurance and discipline needed for a martial art.

Student life is very stressful, and if your life revolves around academic achievements you will feel the pressure. So when choosing a sport, it is crucial you undertake one which you will work on. It can help avert your attention and help you temporarily escape from that essay or assignment.

So go and find a sport that suits you. Find one you will work on, and that mounts a challenge that you are not afraid of tackling.