Tag Archives: EPL

London, England – A boyhood dream

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Today I did something I once only dreamed of – seeing Arsenal play live.

I don’t recall why I decided to barrack fro Arsenal. Living in Adelaide there is no logical reason but sometime in the early 70s I reached that decision. Beartie Mee was manager, Charlie George was someone I’d heard of and that was really all. I don’t think I knew they had won the double. This was a time when we got the classified scores on the radio Sunday mornings and the scores in the paper on Mondays. We had Match of the Day highlights during the week, and the only game we ever saw live was the FA Cup Final.

Fast forard 45 years and today I was at The Emirates to see Arsenal play Burnely.

It was a lunchtine kick-off which for a football novice was a bonus.

I wanted to soak up the day Continue reading →

Another slow travel journey – Europe 2019

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Rome

It’s just under three weeks until we embark on our next slow travel journey.

It has snuck up on us, as my favourite person has not been a hundred per cent, I’ve had a couple of health issues of my own, there has been my PhD and waiting for the EPL fixture list to come out. All have meant we could not settle our final plans.

However with the last unknown, the EPL season fixture out, our itinerary is complete.

Continue reading →

In Arsene we trust – End of an era

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Arsene Wenger (Source: Goal.com)

 

“To all the Arsenal lovers take care of the values of the club.

My love and support forever.”

-Arsene Wenger

Sitting on the other side of the world last Friday night as The Adelaide Crows, my AFL team, won a thrilling encounter against the odds, my favourite person called out that Arsene had announced his retirement. I felt numb.

I have followed Arsenal since the early 70s where the only way to get news of how they were going was via the classified results on the radio on a Sunday morning and then perhaps seeing some highlights on Match of the Day on a Wednesday night. With the

advent of PayTV, I have been able to watch Arsenal play. The timezone means games are on at all hours of the night and with my only company the cat, I perfected the silent cheer so as not to wake the house when Henry, Adebayor, Giroud and now Ramsay, Lacasette and Aubameyang score.

For nearly half those years Arsene Wenger has been ever present on the boundary. His clenched fist cheer at a goal, sideline arguments with other managers and the fourth official, as well as his struggles with his puffer jacket are my memories of Arsene.

Like all Arsenal supporters and perhaps all football supporters, I marveled at The Invincibles Continue reading →

Steven Gerrard – Retiring at the Top

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Source : www.telegraph.co.uk

Source : www.telegraph.co.uk

There has been so much attention in the football (soccer) world about Steven Gerrard’s recent announcement of his decision to leave Liverpool at the end of the season.

The BBC Five Live Team saying over and over again, surely Liverpool,should have done something to keep him. Other sports commentators have said the same. The pervading view being he must stay.

Gerrard has other ideas. Apparently no longer guaranteed a starting place in all games, he’s made the decision to play out the balance of his career in the US. No doubt he’ll make a fortune playing less games and continuing to be acknowledged as a giant of the game. Good on him, I say. He’s taking the same route that fellow Merseysider Tim Cahill took a couple of years before.

To Gerrard’s absolute credit, he has made it clear that he will not continue in the Premier League with another club. He’s a Liverpool legend and to put on another shirt would be unthinkable.

He will also retire from the EPL in good form. Memories of him in his final season will be littered with strong performances as evidenced by his two goals in the 3rd Round of the FA Cup, where he was judged BBC’s Man of the Match.

So many outstay their welcome, playing that one or two seasons too long. Gerrard won’t. He’ll leave on top and at a time of his own choosing. This is just the way it should be for someone who has been a true champion of the game.

Author Declaration – I am a “dyed in the wool” Arsenal supporter!