Outside of the razzmatazz of the Premier League lies a whole other football experience - the Football League. The top tier of this goes under the name of the Championship. It is a fiercely competitive league where the riches of the Premiership are tantalisingly close by, yet so difficult to get to! Many teams have tried and failed to escape the Championship, while there are quite a few others who have reached the promised land only to be thrust back through the trap door. The three teams I will be looking at in this blog are all examples of those who have been fortunate enough to play in the Premiership following promotion and yet will find themselves plying their trade in the Championship during 2012-13.
Blackburn Rovers - slight confession here, this is my team (I know, but I'm holding onto the saying that it could be worse!). Following a thoroughly depressing season in which there weren't many highlights, (perhaps winning at Old Trafford and being 6 points clear of the drop zone in March to give us all false hopes) Blackburn find themselves back in the Championship. Ewood Park holds just over 31,000 people and officials will be hoping that the expected downturn in audience isn't as severe as has been suggested in some quarters. The last time Rovers played in the 2nd tier of football was in the 1999-2000 & 2000-2001 seasons following relegation despite many saying they were "too good to go down" - my opinion - you're never too good to go down if you don't play well enough and win a few games! Since being relegated this time round, there have been some interesting moves in the transfer market and one or two murmurings of departures, with at least Yakubu (last season's top scorer) a definite out goer. Danny Murphy brings some much needed experience into the team and if he can replicate his passing and vision whilst at Fulham looks to be a good acquisition. Nuno Gomes is someone who was a good player - it will be interesting to see how he copes in the world of the Championship. I think the season will be defined by any remaining incomings and outgoings and also how well the team starts the season. A bad start may see the team struggle in a notoriously difficult league to be in, never mind get out of after an 11 year absence.
Bolton Wanderers - followed Blackburn up to the Premiership in 2001 and have followed them back down again in 2012 - nice to have some company! Bolton had a turbulent season for very different reasons to their neighbours - injuries appeared to derail much of their season and the well-documented incident involving Muamba must have made things really difficult for all involved. It is good to see the recovery he has made and I'm sure he'll continue to have an influence at Bolton in the forthcoming season. Whilst releasing a number of players, Bolton have managed to keep hold of a few of their more influential players for the time being. One of these is Kevin Davies - a tough striker who should do well next season. He is Mr Bolton to Bolton and they will be pleased that he has committed himself to the team. The team are one of the favourites to bounce straight back and in Coyle have someone who has been there done that before with Burnley. Again, their start to the season will be crucial.
Wolverhampton Wanderers - bounced a little bit between the top tier and the Championship over the last few years. They followed Blackburn in sacking their manager and promoting from within. Sadly for Wolves this strategy didn't reverse fortunes at the club and they finished rock bottom of the Premiership. They will start the new season with a fresh manager in place who fans will hope can help them to make an immediate return to the Premiership. It's been a bit quiet on the transfer front with few incomings and not many outgoings to speak of. The most notable in is Frank Nouble from West Ham, though he is still young and needs time to show what he might be able to do. The key for Wolves will be holding onto the likes of Kevin Doyle and Steven Fletcher - a tough ask should someone with big money come calling.
In conclusion, interesting times ahead for all three - the start each make will be key and how well they all adapt to the different style of the Championship. Next time, a look at the new boys from below - those promoted from Division 1.
Monday, 16 July 2012
Wednesday, 25 April 2012
English Premier League Relegation run in part 3
Trying to predict results at the bottom of the English Premiership currently is like trying to come up with those elusive lottery numbers to win the jackpot - in other words it's all rather unpredictable at the moment! There have been more "shock" results since I last blogged my predictions for the run-in. QPR pulled off a win against Tottenham (playing with 10 men for the last 10 or so minutes of the game); Wigan, despite their brilliant run of form recently, finally succumbed to Fulham in the last minute of their last game after earlier having pulled off another shock result in beating Arsenal; Blackburn have managed to keep their increasingly slim hopes of staying up alive by beating Norwich at home and Bolton took full advantage of one of their two games in hand on everyone else by beating Aston Villa on a horribly damp night which would have suited the mood of the Villa supporters.
Speaking of Aston Villa, they are starting to look like "that team" that no-one thinks is in trouble until the last minute. Interesting times for fans of anyone not supporting any of these clubs as they can watch on in fascination whilst those around them panic! It should be noted that at this point one of my original predicted teams to go (although this one was fairly easy to foresee) fell through the trapdoor over the weekend - the Wolves (or Wolverhampton Wanderers) will be on new hunting ground next season.
So to my latest predictions for the final table (drum roll please - or should that be death knoll?!) my version stands as follows:
15th Aston Villa -17 Goal Difference 36 Points
16th Bolton Wanderers -29 Goal Difference 36 Points
17th QPR -22 Goal Difference 35 Points
18th Blackburn Rovers -28 Goal Difference 35 Points
19th Wigan Athletic -28 Goal Difference 35 Points
20th Wolverhampton Wanderers -44 Goal Difference 24 Points (already relegated)
No change since the last update on who actually goes down with Wigan and Blackburn still in the bottom three in my final reckoning but it's still very tight, in fact goal difference is the only thing separating Blackburn and QPR and the fact that Blackburn would have scored more goals than Wigan keeping them above their neighbours. Aston Villa's recent form is reflected in the fact that they only scrape to safety by 1 point along with Bolton.
There's plenty of action on this front to look forward to this weekend, with all sides facing difficult or challenging opposition, it would only take one side to get a result and the others failing to change my table again. The race to avoid relegation is hotting up, it remains to be seen who can stand the heat.
Speaking of Aston Villa, they are starting to look like "that team" that no-one thinks is in trouble until the last minute. Interesting times for fans of anyone not supporting any of these clubs as they can watch on in fascination whilst those around them panic! It should be noted that at this point one of my original predicted teams to go (although this one was fairly easy to foresee) fell through the trapdoor over the weekend - the Wolves (or Wolverhampton Wanderers) will be on new hunting ground next season.
So to my latest predictions for the final table (drum roll please - or should that be death knoll?!) my version stands as follows:
15th Aston Villa -17 Goal Difference 36 Points
16th Bolton Wanderers -29 Goal Difference 36 Points
17th QPR -22 Goal Difference 35 Points
18th Blackburn Rovers -28 Goal Difference 35 Points
19th Wigan Athletic -28 Goal Difference 35 Points
20th Wolverhampton Wanderers -44 Goal Difference 24 Points (already relegated)
No change since the last update on who actually goes down with Wigan and Blackburn still in the bottom three in my final reckoning but it's still very tight, in fact goal difference is the only thing separating Blackburn and QPR and the fact that Blackburn would have scored more goals than Wigan keeping them above their neighbours. Aston Villa's recent form is reflected in the fact that they only scrape to safety by 1 point along with Bolton.
There's plenty of action on this front to look forward to this weekend, with all sides facing difficult or challenging opposition, it would only take one side to get a result and the others failing to change my table again. The race to avoid relegation is hotting up, it remains to be seen who can stand the heat.
Saturday, 14 April 2012
Premiership Relegation Update
Well, well, well who would have thought little old Wigan would beat Manchester United during the week? Having never beaten them in the Premier League they went on to win 1-0 and with QPR also winning and Blackburn going down at the last against Liverpool things have changed at the bottom since I last wrote and tried to predict the order of things in terms of the relegation fight. With this in mind I have had a go at a league table predictor ahead of today's games (14/04/12). This is how it looks (once all 38 games have been predicted):
16th: QPR 35 points -23 Goal Difference
17th: Bolton 35 points -31 Goal Difference
18th: Blackburn 33 points -27 Goal Difference
19th: Wigan 33 points -29 Goal Difference
20th: Wolves 23 points -47 Goal Difference
So, some changes since I last wrote with QPR now safe and Blackburn down with an as you were with regards to safety or not for the rest. I suspect things might change again over the next round of games so watch this space. As for the games on the 14th, 15th and 16th involving these sides, I can see Wolves losing, QPR and Blackburn picking up a point and Wigan losing but given some the results recently what do I know?!
16th: QPR 35 points -23 Goal Difference
17th: Bolton 35 points -31 Goal Difference
18th: Blackburn 33 points -27 Goal Difference
19th: Wigan 33 points -29 Goal Difference
20th: Wolves 23 points -47 Goal Difference
So, some changes since I last wrote with QPR now safe and Blackburn down with an as you were with regards to safety or not for the rest. I suspect things might change again over the next round of games so watch this space. As for the games on the 14th, 15th and 16th involving these sides, I can see Wolves losing, QPR and Blackburn picking up a point and Wigan losing but given some the results recently what do I know?!
Sunday, 8 April 2012
English Premier League Relegation Run-in
It's that time of the season in the Premier League that many football fans' attentions are focused on either the top of the table or the bottom. With the title pretty much looking like it'll be heading to the United side of the Mancunian City (United are 8 points clear of their City rivals at the time of writing with 6 games left to play), there are decidedly more interesting events taking place at the other end of the table. My last musings talked about whether or not football fans might witness a repeat of the West Brom "Great Escape" in the form of Blackburn Rovers and at the moment that is still a possibility but it is tight down there, very tight!
Let's take a look at the teams in the mix down at the bottom (I'm discounting Aston Villa as I don't think they will get dragged into the fight at this point):
Wigan are an enigma, they looked doomed and yet they have recently conjured up wins against Liverpool and Stoke, when you might have expected them to lose and were mightily unlucky against Chelsea in their last match. This is the time of the year when Wigan suddenly click into life as if they only just realise the peril they are in, OK it makes for an entertaining finish but I'm sure Wigan fans would much prefer mid table safety right now. Wigan are a difficult one to predict though as the remaining fixtures in April look very tough; Man United, Arsenal, Fulham and Newcastle. I think a lot will hinge on their game against Blackburn in May if they're still in the running to stay up at that point. Otherwise my gut would suggest it may well be too little too late this time.
Blackburn did manage to get themselves a full 6 points clear of trouble a few weeks ago but after 3 defeats in a row and with teams below them picking up points they are right back in it again. The form is worrying, conceding goals again (as for most of the season other than a two game break where they managed to keep clean sheets) and not scoring too many when this has been the one thing they could generally rely on. If they are to steer clear of trouble, they are going to need to start finding the back of the net once more and tighten up in defence. Their run in is mixed, some very tough games and a few that if they hit form they could well get results from. Next up is Liverpool at Ewood and fans must be hoping for some of the generosity shown towards Wigan and QPR in the last few weeks from the Merseyside team. Right now, I really think the last relegation place is going to be between Blackburn and QPR and given each teams respective fixtures I would say Blackburn might just scrape their "Great Escape" but maybe only by a point.
Many football fans had written QPR off as a lost cause, based mostly on their ridiculously tough run in. They have however given themselves a fighting chance by upsetting the odds and beating both Liverpool and Arsenal in recent weeks but with games still to come against Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester City it is still going to be a tough ask to steer clear of trouble. Fans of the other clubs in the mire will be hoping that the teams QPR play will go for it wholeheartedly regardless of whether or not their respective seasons are in effect over. I believe that if QPR are to survive it will come down to their ability to pull off a shock in one of their so called "tougher matches".
Bolton have been up and down all season results wise, they have lost more games than anyone else in the Premier League but their ability to win rather than draw in other matches sees them in 16th position at the moment. Their run-in is arguably the easiest of all the teams at the bottom and it is for this reason that I think they will have enough to steer themselves clear of trouble despite them having a particularly tough year.
So in conclusion I predict Wolves, Wigan and QPR for the drop in that order with Blackburn just doing enough to escape and Bolton finishing in 16th. It will be a long and interesting run-in.
Let's take a look at the teams in the mix down at the bottom (I'm discounting Aston Villa as I don't think they will get dragged into the fight at this point):
- Wolverhampton Wanderers - currently bottom of the league, 6 points adrift of safety on 22;
- Wigan Athletic - 19th on 28 points, with a goal difference of -27;
- Blackburn Rovers - 18th also on 28 points with a goal difference of -24;
- QPR - 17th again on 28 points with a goal difference of -21;
- Bolton Wanderers - 16th, on 29 points with a goal difference of -27 (with a game in hand).
Wigan are an enigma, they looked doomed and yet they have recently conjured up wins against Liverpool and Stoke, when you might have expected them to lose and were mightily unlucky against Chelsea in their last match. This is the time of the year when Wigan suddenly click into life as if they only just realise the peril they are in, OK it makes for an entertaining finish but I'm sure Wigan fans would much prefer mid table safety right now. Wigan are a difficult one to predict though as the remaining fixtures in April look very tough; Man United, Arsenal, Fulham and Newcastle. I think a lot will hinge on their game against Blackburn in May if they're still in the running to stay up at that point. Otherwise my gut would suggest it may well be too little too late this time.
Blackburn did manage to get themselves a full 6 points clear of trouble a few weeks ago but after 3 defeats in a row and with teams below them picking up points they are right back in it again. The form is worrying, conceding goals again (as for most of the season other than a two game break where they managed to keep clean sheets) and not scoring too many when this has been the one thing they could generally rely on. If they are to steer clear of trouble, they are going to need to start finding the back of the net once more and tighten up in defence. Their run in is mixed, some very tough games and a few that if they hit form they could well get results from. Next up is Liverpool at Ewood and fans must be hoping for some of the generosity shown towards Wigan and QPR in the last few weeks from the Merseyside team. Right now, I really think the last relegation place is going to be between Blackburn and QPR and given each teams respective fixtures I would say Blackburn might just scrape their "Great Escape" but maybe only by a point.
Many football fans had written QPR off as a lost cause, based mostly on their ridiculously tough run in. They have however given themselves a fighting chance by upsetting the odds and beating both Liverpool and Arsenal in recent weeks but with games still to come against Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester City it is still going to be a tough ask to steer clear of trouble. Fans of the other clubs in the mire will be hoping that the teams QPR play will go for it wholeheartedly regardless of whether or not their respective seasons are in effect over. I believe that if QPR are to survive it will come down to their ability to pull off a shock in one of their so called "tougher matches".
Bolton have been up and down all season results wise, they have lost more games than anyone else in the Premier League but their ability to win rather than draw in other matches sees them in 16th position at the moment. Their run-in is arguably the easiest of all the teams at the bottom and it is for this reason that I think they will have enough to steer themselves clear of trouble despite them having a particularly tough year.
So in conclusion I predict Wolves, Wigan and QPR for the drop in that order with Blackburn just doing enough to escape and Bolton finishing in 16th. It will be a long and interesting run-in.
Sunday, 29 January 2012
Is another "great escape" in the Premiership on the cards?
The Great Escape, more commonly known as a World War II mass escape from the German prisoner-of-war camp Stalag Luft III and documented in the film of 1963 is very often now also associated across football with teams, who against all the odds, manage to escape the dreaded trapdoor of relegation.
There are many recent examples of last day, heroic escapes from the Premiership trapdoor. In 1993, Oldham (remember them?) pulled off a 4-3 win over Southampton. They needed to win, for Crystal Palace to lose and for 3 goals to be scored. They led 4-1 and held on for the 4-3 win, while Palace lost 3-0 to Arsenal.
How about Everton? Still in the Premiership today, but had events conspired against them in 1994 things might be very different. They beat Wimbledon on the last day of the season 3-2. Had they drawn, the fact that Ipswich managed to draw with Blackburn would have seen them fall through the trapdoor. Things looked very bad at 2-0 down, but a penalty, a wonder goal and some generous keeping for the third goal kept them up.
Perhaps the most famous escape of them all was by West Brom, doomed at Christmas by being in the infamous bottom place from whence no team shall survive (that's Premiership law by all accounts!), they managed to defy everyone by beating Portsmouth on the final day and with all other results going their way stayed up. No team before or since has survived being bottom on Christmas Day in the Premier League, hence why many refer to that West Brom season as being the "Great Escape".
Oh how fans of Blackburn Rovers will be praying that they can reenact this great feat. Bottom on Christmas day, following a 2-0 defeat to neighbours Bolton, who at the same time climbed off the bottom themselves, they currently find themselves in 18th position going into a home game against Newcastle on the 1st February. Recent form suggests a revival of sorts with a good point taken at Anfield, a famous win over Man United at Old Trafford, a heroic win against Fulham with 10 men and a solid point away to Everton in the space of 5 weeks. What remains to be seen is if this form can be held and another episode of the "Great Escape" played out.
There are some tough games still to play, games away to Arsenal, Manchester City (currently top of the league), Tottenham and a final day encounter at Chelsea will all be tough with Premiership and Champions League honours within the grasp of all these teams, however, there are also some, dare I say it, winnable games as well. There for the taking are QPR, Wolves, Sunderland, Bolton, West Brom, Swansea, Norwich and Wigan all teams who have been in and around Mid to Bottom of the table.
Whatever happens, it going to be some ride for Blackburn fans over the next 3 or 4 months and I'm sure many will prefer to see the team safe before the final day match away to Chelsea such is the nail biting tension final day encounters can bring. It was only just under a season ago that Blackburn found themselves in another final day survival game against Wolves, themselves in the mire, when both teams managed to stay up, however this season it may well be a much closer affair. Will we see the Great Escape reenacted? Hold on to your hats and let the run-in begin!
There are many recent examples of last day, heroic escapes from the Premiership trapdoor. In 1993, Oldham (remember them?) pulled off a 4-3 win over Southampton. They needed to win, for Crystal Palace to lose and for 3 goals to be scored. They led 4-1 and held on for the 4-3 win, while Palace lost 3-0 to Arsenal.
How about Everton? Still in the Premiership today, but had events conspired against them in 1994 things might be very different. They beat Wimbledon on the last day of the season 3-2. Had they drawn, the fact that Ipswich managed to draw with Blackburn would have seen them fall through the trapdoor. Things looked very bad at 2-0 down, but a penalty, a wonder goal and some generous keeping for the third goal kept them up.
Perhaps the most famous escape of them all was by West Brom, doomed at Christmas by being in the infamous bottom place from whence no team shall survive (that's Premiership law by all accounts!), they managed to defy everyone by beating Portsmouth on the final day and with all other results going their way stayed up. No team before or since has survived being bottom on Christmas Day in the Premier League, hence why many refer to that West Brom season as being the "Great Escape".
Oh how fans of Blackburn Rovers will be praying that they can reenact this great feat. Bottom on Christmas day, following a 2-0 defeat to neighbours Bolton, who at the same time climbed off the bottom themselves, they currently find themselves in 18th position going into a home game against Newcastle on the 1st February. Recent form suggests a revival of sorts with a good point taken at Anfield, a famous win over Man United at Old Trafford, a heroic win against Fulham with 10 men and a solid point away to Everton in the space of 5 weeks. What remains to be seen is if this form can be held and another episode of the "Great Escape" played out.
There are some tough games still to play, games away to Arsenal, Manchester City (currently top of the league), Tottenham and a final day encounter at Chelsea will all be tough with Premiership and Champions League honours within the grasp of all these teams, however, there are also some, dare I say it, winnable games as well. There for the taking are QPR, Wolves, Sunderland, Bolton, West Brom, Swansea, Norwich and Wigan all teams who have been in and around Mid to Bottom of the table.
Whatever happens, it going to be some ride for Blackburn fans over the next 3 or 4 months and I'm sure many will prefer to see the team safe before the final day match away to Chelsea such is the nail biting tension final day encounters can bring. It was only just under a season ago that Blackburn found themselves in another final day survival game against Wolves, themselves in the mire, when both teams managed to stay up, however this season it may well be a much closer affair. Will we see the Great Escape reenacted? Hold on to your hats and let the run-in begin!
Saturday, 10 December 2011
The varying fortunes of the Football League Founder Members
Football has changed hugely over the years, today if you asked people to name a well known football team you might get answers such as Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool. Fair enough you may say since they are all currently sat in the top half of the Premier League, however, none of these teams were founder members when the football league as we know it was first formed. This honour went to 12 teams from the North West and the Midlands; they were Aston Villa, Accrington Stanley (of "who are they?" fame), Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Burnley, Derby County, Everton, Notts County, Preston North End, Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
So where are they all now? Well seven are currently plying their trade in the Premiership (Aston Villa, Blackburn, Bolton, Everton, Stoke, West Brom and Wolves), whilst Burnley and Derby are one below in the Championship, Notts County and Preston are playing in League 1 and Accrington are in League 2. It is fair to say that despite the apparent success in having over half of the founder members in the top flight of football that each team has had its fair share of ups and downs over the years. Let's take a look at the varying fortunes of each team over the last 10 years.
Only 4 of the teams haven't been involved in promotion or relegation over the last 10 years: Aston Villa, Blackburn, Bolton and Everton (though at the time of writing, both Blackburn and Bolton are sitting in the relegation places in the Premier League) and all four have had good cup fortunes, either winning or being runners up in a competition.
West Brom win the yoyo team tag with no less than 3 relegations and 4 promotions over the last 10 years - plenty of bitten finger nails in the black country there then!
Yet a lot of credit should go out to two teams that many would consider unfashionable - Stoke City and, yes, the much maligned Accrington Stanley. Both have been promoted twice in the last ten years and have thrown in a cup win for good measure. Neither of them have endured relegation during this time, whereas all the other clubs mentioned in the table above that have been promoted in the last 10 years have also been relegated at some point too.
It just goes to show that success isn't always about being in the top half of the premiership, there's plenty going on in and around and outside of it and that's what makes football so interesting and unpredictable! It would be nice to have all of the founder members back in the big league together, let's see what the next 10 years bring - you never know!
So where are they all now? Well seven are currently plying their trade in the Premiership (Aston Villa, Blackburn, Bolton, Everton, Stoke, West Brom and Wolves), whilst Burnley and Derby are one below in the Championship, Notts County and Preston are playing in League 1 and Accrington are in League 2. It is fair to say that despite the apparent success in having over half of the founder members in the top flight of football that each team has had its fair share of ups and downs over the years. Let's take a look at the varying fortunes of each team over the last 10 years.
 |
| How the Founder Members have faired |
West Brom win the yoyo team tag with no less than 3 relegations and 4 promotions over the last 10 years - plenty of bitten finger nails in the black country there then!
Yet a lot of credit should go out to two teams that many would consider unfashionable - Stoke City and, yes, the much maligned Accrington Stanley. Both have been promoted twice in the last ten years and have thrown in a cup win for good measure. Neither of them have endured relegation during this time, whereas all the other clubs mentioned in the table above that have been promoted in the last 10 years have also been relegated at some point too.
It just goes to show that success isn't always about being in the top half of the premiership, there's plenty going on in and around and outside of it and that's what makes football so interesting and unpredictable! It would be nice to have all of the founder members back in the big league together, let's see what the next 10 years bring - you never know!
Wednesday, 30 November 2011
The rollercoaster that is sport
Sports fans up and down the Country will be familiar with the ups and downs of following any sporting event, team or person or indeed of taking part in a sport. Things are great when you're winning and not so good if you can't see where the next win is coming from. One minute you're at at the top of the rollercoaster track with great views all around you and the next it all comes tumbling down leaving you feeling a bit sick in the stomach.
I am currently in a position where my netball team is in a promotion chase (cue fall from grace!) and my football team is battling against relegation. At one point it seemed like because we were winning netball matches my football team were doomed to failure in theirs such is my supersticious state of mind! This thought has very quickly gone out of the window after a couple of poor results in the netball not coninciding with an upturn in footballing fortunes!
So why do we put ourselves through it? I think the appropriate word here is "hope". At the start of a game, match or race everyone still has a chance. Even if the competition is stronger it doesn't always mean they will be victorious. There are countless examples of the underdog winning the day and I think it is this that keeps people believing. There's always "hope" that you will win.
I bet the Wimbledon team of 1988 didn't expect to win the FA Cup (or perhaps they did since they were called the "crazy gang" at the time), yet they beat Liverpool 1-0 in the final. Massive underdogs and with all the experts saying they didn't have a chance and yet they lifted the famous cup for the first and only time in their history.
Another great underdog win came via Wimbledon too, though this time in the tennis. The summer of 2001 will be remembered (at least by tennis fans) as the year Goran Ivanisevic finally won the Wimbledon Mens' Singles Championship. After losing in the finals in 1992, 1994 and 1998 and slipping down the rankings so much that he was only able to enter Wimbledon via a Wildcard, most people would be forgiven for thinking that the Croat didn't have a chance of advancing very far in the competition. In reality, he went on to beat some very notable players and lift the trophy.
This is what makes sport so facinating, so great to participate in and watch. It's not always clearcut what's going to happen. Overcoming the odds is great and moments like that stay with you and give you hope. Afterall it would be boring to win all the time even if we would like to!
I am currently in a position where my netball team is in a promotion chase (cue fall from grace!) and my football team is battling against relegation. At one point it seemed like because we were winning netball matches my football team were doomed to failure in theirs such is my supersticious state of mind! This thought has very quickly gone out of the window after a couple of poor results in the netball not coninciding with an upturn in footballing fortunes!
So why do we put ourselves through it? I think the appropriate word here is "hope". At the start of a game, match or race everyone still has a chance. Even if the competition is stronger it doesn't always mean they will be victorious. There are countless examples of the underdog winning the day and I think it is this that keeps people believing. There's always "hope" that you will win.
I bet the Wimbledon team of 1988 didn't expect to win the FA Cup (or perhaps they did since they were called the "crazy gang" at the time), yet they beat Liverpool 1-0 in the final. Massive underdogs and with all the experts saying they didn't have a chance and yet they lifted the famous cup for the first and only time in their history.
Another great underdog win came via Wimbledon too, though this time in the tennis. The summer of 2001 will be remembered (at least by tennis fans) as the year Goran Ivanisevic finally won the Wimbledon Mens' Singles Championship. After losing in the finals in 1992, 1994 and 1998 and slipping down the rankings so much that he was only able to enter Wimbledon via a Wildcard, most people would be forgiven for thinking that the Croat didn't have a chance of advancing very far in the competition. In reality, he went on to beat some very notable players and lift the trophy.
This is what makes sport so facinating, so great to participate in and watch. It's not always clearcut what's going to happen. Overcoming the odds is great and moments like that stay with you and give you hope. Afterall it would be boring to win all the time even if we would like to!
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