Author: Christopher William Kinsey

A Tale of Two Cities

A Tale of Two Cities

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”

– Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

It is the strangest of times. This season has been one of the most unpredictable in Premier League history. It’s long been noted, especially by this writer, that the technical standard of England’s top flight has been on the decline. Any doubts surrounding this can be erased by noting the recent performances of Premier League sides in Europe. For several years the excitement levels have increased while tactical know-how has been reduced. It couldn’t go on forever and have the steady balance at the top of the league remain. This season the status quo was demolished.

When Manchester City gate-crashed the top four party, they took their place at the established table with the look of a team willing to fit the mould. They spent big to play catch-up, only asking for a place in the Champions League that usually went to a team like Liverpool.

Their presence didn’t threaten the see-saw of dominance, that hadn’t moved for so long one could assume it had rotten to a rigid state. It was coincidence that City’s arrival at the top coincided with a slow drop-off in domestic tactical astuteness. La Liga sides had evolved, with most of that thanks going to Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona team.

Gone were the days of expecting two English sides in the Champions League semi-finals; just getting to the knockout phase has become an achievement. In tandem with La Liga’s intelligence growing at a rate faster than the Premier League’s, so was the Bundesliga’s.

Bayern Munich became the dominant force in Germany and won Europe’s top competition. It’s often remarked, in a negative angle, that there isn’t the weekly competition for Bayern that English teams have to face. La Liga has similar accusations aimed at it. There’s an idea there’s only two good teams – Barcelona and Real Madrid – and the rest are just walkovers.

If this was the case, these three giant teams would struggle. A lack of big games would lead to head’s drifting off. But they remain focused in Europe and it’s battle-hardened Premier League sides that struggle midweek. This season the sentiment that anyone can beat anyone in England has never been truer.

Even in the face of such inconsistency patterns were emerging that pundits and fans failed to recognise or accept. And even with normality taking a break, people expect old ways to return. Leicester City were tipped to drop away before the hectic Christmas period. When that didn’t occur the prediction was it would happen during. That never materialised so the next prediction was it would happen after.

We’re now in February and they still top the league.

The latest effort to reduce their expectations meets reality with the failing perceptions halfway. Observers still can’t allow themselves to believe they are in a title race – even after 24 games – but concede they are likely to finish top four now.

It’s a tremendous accomplishment. The Foxes started the season as a relegation candidate. Claudio Ranieri has taken a set of players that weren’t in the spotlight and instilled belief and most importantly: a strong work ethic.
There may be more money spent on players in the Premier League, both in transfers and wages, and new TV deals eclipse those from more successful European leagues, but that doesn’t mean the best players are here.

Leicester have exploited the weakness in the league as a whole, not the shortcomings of separate teams that expected to be placed higher. Now that they have momentum, stopping them will be hard.

Against Manchester City they face a team that won’t begrudge the Foxes any lasting success at the top. Fans of Manchester’s club can easily recall a time before the Sheikh’s money, when winning one more League Cup would have been a heady dream and chances of a Premier League title were folly.

Financial Fair Play (FFP) was seen as a tool to maintain a status quo for the traditional big names. The assumption being, only a massive outlay of cash could enable a side to break the top four.

Multiple articles here, and Financial Fair Prejudice, never spoke out against FFP to keep Manchester City safe. They already made it in the castle before the drawbridge was up. The bordering on illegal and morally ambiguous FFP meant teams feared that if weren’t already a big fish, they never would be.

Leicester have changed all this.

Okay, they do have billionaire owners that have restructured the club. But their accelerated growth period pales in comparison to Man City’s.

Their stubbornness to accept everybody else’s predictions and perceptions has been aided by a stuttering league campaign from the title rivals they face next. The Citizens have been equally consistent in their form by being the antithesis of Leicester’s attitude.

Instead of non-stop application, Pellegrini’s men appear to fire in spits and spats. When their backs are against the wall then a world class City emerges and brushes sides away with ease. Far too often they spend the first twenty minutes of matches drifting, as if their talent alone will ensure success. The effort comes later, when the task has been made harder than it should have been.

After Saturday there should be a clearer idea on where the season’s heading. The neutral will warm to the idea of Leicester City taking victory and then securing a title win so improbable Hollywood movie execs wouldn’t dare use it in a script. If the Foxes win, the press will say it is remarkable achievement that they won the “best league in the world.”

If Manchester City remove Leicester’s point advantage it could be the start for the final push. Players are now fighting for their careers as they try and impress incoming manager, Pep Guardiola, from afar. With Arsenal commencing their annual fall away, only Tottenham lurk as the other potential dark horse.

If Man City win the title in Pellegrini’s final year, the press will comment on the lack of a legitimate challenger and make more news about the low number of points needed to win a weak league. The points spread is currently being used to rejoice at how competitive and tough it is.

But there’s nothing but truth in the statement: the league never lies after 38 games. Whoever that is will deserve it most, all other factors become irrelevant.

The City that takes three points Saturday lunch time will start to imagine their hands on the title.

Uncrowned King

Uncrowned King

Fight fans were given an unexpected surprise when Amir Khan announced his next opponent as WBC Middleweight Champion, Saúl Álvarez. After months of domestic pressure to face IBF Welterweight Champion Kell Brook, Khan has pulled off a great coup securing a contest with the much-respected Mexican. Yet, he still faces a period of heavy criticism and a lack of respect instead of the support he deserves.

British boxing fans that dip in and out of the sport are hypocrites. They chastised Audley Harrison for being too cautious but denounce Khan because he gets caught now and again. He’s a warrior. One that goes into fights without any fear. They point out his “glass chin” by mentioning the Breidis Prescott fight from 2008.

Really? That was nearly eight years ago. Since then he’s been in wars and stood tall after taking far more telling blows. Anyone that doubts this – more likely missed it altogether, while playing the role of fair-weather fan – should remember his historic battle with Marcos Maidana.

He took more punishment there than a boxer with a classic Achilles heel of a glass jaw could and survived for an impressive points victory. This is the same Maidana that fought Mayweather twice, the rematch coming after he caused such a stir in the first. When people were asked how could a boxer that failed against Khan fare so well against the best, they said the Argentine had grown as a fighter. This same consideration is never given to Khan.

He’s built harder and stronger than the young pro that was knocked out by Prescott in 2008. Over the years his neck muscles have strengthened so knockouts are no longer a given. That’s not to say he can’t go down but only Danny García has secured victory in that fashion since (four years after the Manchester knockout). Going up a weight does place him in danger of killer blows at a power he’s potentially not faced.

The biggest danger is losing his hand speed – his greatest gift and obvious advantage.

It is a risk worth taking, the big fight opportunities were dwindling. He was right to demand more money from a potential Kell Brook fight. Brook doesn’t have a long line of impressive names on his record and lacks drawing power across the pond. His most famous story is getting stabbed in the leg when holidaying in Tenerife. He’s just a cog in Eddie Hearn’s self-serving evil empire.

Brook’s never been on Mayweather’s radar like Khan, and with good reason.

Khan was a potential opponent for a fight with the greatest boxer of his generation on merit. And unlike most of Floyd’s challengers who are there for the payday, Khan wanted the fight for boxing purposes. He’s always playing high-stake poker with his career and legacy, this latest fight with “Canelo” an example.

While most fighters are carefully plotting a safe route to a decent legacy, Khan keeps rolling the dice, willing to take on any of the big names. A win here will see him get a fight with Manny Pacquiao, the consolation prize after missing out on Mayweather.

The British press and its fight fans would have you believe he was never good enough for the major Vegas showdown with Mayweather or somebody close to that stature. The truth is, Mayweather will have seen Khan as an unnecessary risk.

Khan is a volatile warrior that makes up for momentary blips regarding in-ring intelligence with brave assaults on his foe.

His critics will continue to mention Prescott and ignore how impressive he looked against Luis Collazo. The same people that blame the referee for costing Ricky Hatton during his showdown with Floyd Mayweather, never mention Khan’s treatment before, during and after the Lamont Peterson debacle. They will start to peddle Brook’s theory that Khan has taken an option with built-in excuses.

Amir goes into the fight as an underdog. This is a reasonable assessment. But the most underrated boxer in recent memory – and possibly most undervalued British fighter of all time – has a chance to undo years of misrepresentation by overcoming the odds and defeating the Mexican.

If he does, people will have to refrain from making excuses to dislike him and accept the reasons that make him a world class boxer.

John Terry: Self-centred to the end

John Terry: Self-centred to the end

John Terry will go down as a Chelsea legend, of this there can be no doubt. The esteem in which the fans hold him ensures he is free from criticism. But for those looking in, the captain of Roman Abramovich’s footballing empire is a questionable human being whose greatest strength is looking after number one. That’s why his latest outburst, informing the world in a post-match interview with the BBC that his contract wasn’t being renewed, should come as no surprise.

It should be noted that the club haven’t flatly refused him an extension. All they have said is that for now they won’t be renewing his contract until a new manager has been appointed. This is a positive step by the London club. In the past there’s been rumours that Abramovich interferes too much with transfers. Clearly, the board want the new boss to have the final say on all ins and outs.

A man that loved the club would appreciate this, respect it, and await his new gaffer’s decision. But that requires a degree of loyalty and honourable behaviour he’s been unable to show his wife, so why an employer should be given special treatment is unfathomable.

Of course this accusation will enrage Chelsea fans but they deserve him and any insults that head in his general direction. They supported him while booing Wayne Bridge for having the audacity to feel disgruntled that Terry slept with his partner.

Somehow Terry manages to appear the victim in spite of his vile actions. Losing the England captaincy was everyone else’s fault but his. Later in his career he announced his retirement from international football after the Anton Ferdinand incident. Being acquitted in court was supposed to render the evidence that made the FA fine him £220,000 irrelevant.

Just because a civil proceeding couldn’t convict intent beyond reasonable doubt doesn’t mean his actions were naïve or without malice. He was playing the wise guy and conned his own fans once again.

He’s using them now to further his own end. If he cared for the club he’d have remained silent until a new manager was confirmed. It’s a Machiavellian plan to force the club’s hand with fan pressure. What makes it worse is how he said in the interview that no man is bigger than the club. So why act out of line as if he is owed special dues?

Chelsea should now emphasise the point that nobody is bigger than the club by withdrawing the offer to wait until a new manager is appointed. Keeping the door half open just places pressure on their shoulders. Furthermore, they should insist Terry makes a new statement declaring his desire to leave regardless of what a new manager says.

This will save face for both parties and Terry can claim he made the original statement because he wanted a definitive answer on his future to remove a long period of uncertainty.

It wasn’t just the club that were in his crosshairs, former players took a hit too. Comments about never playing for another Premier League club was a veiled dig at those, like Frank Lampard, that did stay on in England. The truth is no other top four side would offer Terry a contract anyway.

And if he wants an example of how to behave in the future he could do far worse than take notes on how Frank Lampard conducts himself in public. Always polite, professional and a gentleman.

All the virtues John Terry lacks.