2010/2011 Premier League: Some thoughts on a remarkable season so far

Posted on December 31, 2010 by Rajvir Rai| 4 Comments

It is fitting that the 2010/2011 Premiership season has been one of the most intriguing yet.

While the league’s unpredictability has left many a frustrated punter tearing up their accumulator betting-slip in disgust as another unexpected result robs them of that elusive fortune they so desperately seek, this season has been a journalist’s dream.

Chelsea stole all the headlines at the beginning of the season as they bulldozed their way through the Premier league in such a flamboyant style that it seemed a foregone conclusion that they would be crowned champions again. Yet, such is the nature of this season, that their blip became a slump, which in turn became a crisis and now they are making headlines for their lacklustre performances and self-implosion.

Ian Holloway and his Blackpool side have also been a revelation and quite rightly – if completely unexpectedly – have seen substantial column inches so far. They were written off as the league’s whipping boys before a ball had been kicked, but have shown such passion, team-work and commitment to the cause they have restored the faith of those cynics who thought there was no heart left in the Premiership.

Another highlight for journalists – if for no one else – was Wayne Rooney’s declaration that he wanted to leave the country’s biggest club because it lacks ambition, only to do a dramatic u-turn after the old master Sir Alex Ferguson gave an Oscar worthy performance as the tearful, dumfounded and betrayed father. That memorable press conference depicted Ferguson as victim and Rooney as the greedy, ungrateful and petulant son and left the latter knowing if he left United his reputation – which had already seriously damaged during the summer– would be tarnished forever.

The saga – which was closely followed by the eerily similar Carlos Tevez affair – also showed how ugly football had got, how obsessed with money players were and how powerful agents had become. Thus, further cementing Blackpool as everyone’s secret favourite club – one where football matters reigned supreme above all else and expensive cars, expensive houses and beautiful houses were an afterthought.

Alongside all this is an incredibly close league (five points separates West Ham at the foot of the table and Everton in 11th place, and table toppers Manchester United and fifth place Tottenham are also separated by the same margin) where no one team is considerably worse or better than everyone else. So it’s all very exciting and pundits and punters alike are being made to look very foolish as they try and second guess what is going to happen next.

In recent weeks everyone has had their say on the team of the year so far, and below you can find my humble opinions. Everyone is entitled to their opinion but I thought The Guardian’s team, which was based on statistics, only showed that stats only tell you half the story.

(Important to note that this is a TEAM of the year, so in a proper formation with an eye to how they would operate if they actually took to the field)

Goalkeeper: Pep Reina

No one keeper has been head and shoulders above the rest this season which has made picking a keeper extremely hard. While Gomez and Fabianski have battled it out for the title of worst keeper in the league, everyone else has been fairly reliable and consistent. Thus, I’ve picked Reina because during all the turmoil at Anfield this season and with a new centre-back pairing nearly every week he has marshalled a poor Liverpool defence well.

Left back: Assou-Ekotto

While Ashley Cole and Patrice Evra have performed well all season, I have chosen Tottenham’s left back ahead of them because he has emerged as a reliable defender having always been fairly handy going forward. Moreover, he shuns the celebrity life-style and does a lot of work for charity and so I have the utmost respect for him too.

Centre backs: Nemanja Vidic and Gary Cahill

Vidic has once again been exceptional and is flourishing as United’s captain. He leads by example and rarely makes mistakes. Sir Alex will be delighted that he managed to convince the giant Serbian to stay at Old Trafford rather than go to Real Madrid.

Cahill may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but his solid performances at the back have helped Bolton reach sixth place in the league. Thus, it is unsurprising to see that he has been linked with big money moves to Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal in recent weeks because his performances have warranted such speculation.

Right back: Rafael

The young Brazilian, like Assou-Ekotto, has really improved defensively this year and although he is still gets exposed every so often he is quickly becoming a permanent fixture in United’s defence.

Left mid: Gareth Bale

The Welsh wizard has been in sensational form for Tottenham this season since moving to the wing, which is because Assou-Ekotto has emerged a reliable fullback. With such blistering pace Bale at times is unstoppable, but crucially he (unlike Aaron Lennon on the opposite flank) consistently delivers an end product.

Centre-Mid: Scott Parker and Paul Scholes

Without Parker West Ham would have no chance of avoiding relegation. He is the heartbeat of that team and epitomises everything that England’s World Cup flops lacked: energy, passion, bravery and determination.
Next to him I’ve opted for the old master Scholes who provides the vital balance and anchorage for my highly attacking team – as well as an experienced head in times of trouble.

Right mid: Samir Nasri

The Frenchman has flourished in the absence of Cesc Fabregras and his excellent control, quick feet and eye for goal have made him a pivotal point of Arsene Wenger’s side. He is just as effective coming of the wing as he is in the middle of the park and is player who can win you a game with a piece of magic.

In-the-hole: Rafael Van der Vaart

Harry Redknapp must have got Daniel Levy one hell of a Christmas present because Levy got Redknapp the best gift of them: Van der Vaart. The little Dutchman has that ability to find space between the opposition’s midfield and defence and is quality in the final third is undoubted. Not only does he create chances but he has a real eye for goal and at £8m he has been the signing of the season.

Striker: Andy Carroll

Newcastle’s No.9 is having a fantastic campaign and his no nonsense approach to the game is infectious and he has quickly become a real favourite amongst the Toon. He might be a bit rough around the edges, but he puts himself about, works for the team and no centre-back likes playing against him. With 11 goals so far he also knows how to find the back of the net.

Bench: (players who just missed out but have been very impressive so far)

Joe Hart, Ryan Shawcross, Tim Cahill, Luka Modric, Leigton Bains, Darren Bent, Stuart Holden

Disagree? Have I missed someone out? Have you say below.

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Sports Personality of the Year: Whose got your vote?

Posted on December 15, 2010 by Rajvir Rai| 2 Comments

On Sunday one athlete will be crowned the nation’s favourite, but who exactly should win the coveted Sports Personality of the Year 2010?

Odds on favourite is jockey Tony McCoy who after 15 years of trying finally won the Grand National this year, and in doing so cemented his place as the greatest jump jockey to date. The Irishmen, who came third in the 2002 Sport Personality of the Year competition, however is not a certainty to win the award.

One thing to remember is that the award is unpredictable, as shown by Ryan Giggs’ surprise victory last year, Greg Rusedski’s in 1997 and Paul Gascoigne’s in 1990. Like X-factor and Strictly Come Dancing the Sports Personality of the Year award is decided by the public, therefore making it extremely hard to call.

Something else to consider is the ‘personality’ element of the award. The candidates are not just judged on their respective sporting achievements, but also on their charisma, appeal and relationship with the wider public.

Therefore, those two minute videos in which each candidate sells themselves are as, if not more, important than those accomplishments that secured their respective place on the shortlist.

Moreover, this has been no ordinary year in sport. We’ve had medal winners at the Commonwealth Games and Winter Olympics, a British heavyweight boxing champion, England’s first number one golfer since 1993 and a cricket world championship victory courtesy of the world’s best spinner.

It’s been a great year for sport and this will polarize and divide the public as to who should be crowned Sports Personality of the Year more so than any other year.

Thus, with all this in mind, while AP McCoy maybe favourite he is by no means guaranteed to be victorious on Sunday night in Birmingham.

Now I am not an avid horse-racing fan, but everyone knows who McCoy is and how important the Grand National is. McCoy deserves to win not only because of his achievements this season, but because of his consistency over the last few years.

Another deserving candidate, in my opinion at least, is Phil Taylor who this year won his 15th world title – as well as the European championships, Premier league, UK open and the World MatchPlay. Taylor has dominated darts in the same way that Roger Federer and Tiger Woods have consistently dominated tennis and golf respectively, and he too would be a worthy winner of the award.

However, what unites the two is the fact that their respective sports are not as fashionable and as well loved as say golf, boxing or cricket. Therefore meaning they may not appeal to the mass market – which is essentially what you have to do to win the award.

Thus, I will be putting my money on spin-king Graeme Swann, whose great performances this year saw him voted as ECB Cricketer of the Year. He was an integral part of the England’s victorious Twenty20 team at the World Cup this summer taking 10 wickets with an average of 15, and as you read this he is playing his part in helping to bring the Ashes back home.

Moreover, his passion on the field is matched by his great sense of humour and his Ashes video diaries have made him even more popular in the eyes of the public. Thus, giving him the vital ingredients to be crowned Sports Personality of Year: talent, public appeal and a well respected sport.

Do you disagree? Should Tony McCoy win the award? Should Phil Taylor be crowned Sports Personality of the Year? Please leave your thoughts below.

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Newcastle United addicted to chaos

Posted on December 7, 2010 by Rajvir Rai| Leave a comment

Chris Hughton’s sacking as manager of Newcastle United was inevitable. Not because he is a bad manager, but because the North-East giants are a haunted club.

Yes you read that right; they are haunted, by a vindictive spectre that lingers in the corridors of St James’ Park and periodically asserts his magical influence to ensure that chaos reigns supreme and sustained stability is never achieved at the club.

How else do you explain Mike Ashley’s illogical and astounding decision to sack Hughton?

Yes, Newcastle have not won in five games and were hopeless against West Brom on Sunday, but they still occupy a mid-table position and only a month ago showed what they are capable off by destroying rivals Sunderland 5-1 and beating Arsenal.

Why the sacking is even more shocking is that, after the turmoil of Sam Allardyce’s eight month reign, the dramatic return and departure of King Kev, the fiasco that was Dennis Wise, Shearer’s eight game cameo and subsequent relegation to the Championship, Hughton was finally bringing calmness and stability to St James’ Park.

In recent years you would have been forgiven for confusing Newcastle United with Sky’s Harchester United. Players fighting on the pitch (Bowyer vs Dyer) and on the training ground (Taylor vs Carrol), managers forced to sign players (Ignacio Gonzalez) and the long running saga of whether Ashley will actually sell the club, would not have looked out of place on the Sky Drama.

The Daily Mirror’s Simon Bird was left contemplating before the start of the season where the chaotic Newcastle that we had grown so accustomed to had gone? Not to fear Bird and the rest of the world have only had to wait 16 games for normal service to be resumed in the North-East.

After going on an extended break Newcastle’s phantom has returned to startling effect, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the new manager (whether it is Alan Pardew, Martin Jol or someone else) was gone by this time next year.

Moreover, with the players unhappy with Hughton’s departure it would not shock me if the club now got themselves in a relegation battle and returned to the Championship.

You can’t keep the Toon out of the headlines, but unfortunately for the passionate fans (who I saw at close quarters during my own three year spell in the North-East) it has mostly been for all the wrong reasons in recent years, and the sacking of Hughton is the just latest chaotic on-going at a club that seems to be addicted to uncertainty, drama and instability.

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How Twitter can improve

Posted on December 2, 2010 by Rajvir Rai| 2 Comments

Last week Twitter’s chief executive Dick Costolo admitted that the company has no clear long term vision and Jack Dorsey, co-founder and chairman, said it was “difficult to try and define Twitter’s function and purpose”.

Now I’m not about to start telling Costolo and Dorsey where they should take Twitter, after all they still have Evan Williams (Costolo’s predecessor and Twitter co-founder) for that. His primary focus may now be “product strategy” but he undoubtedly will continue to be fundamental to the company’s development.

That being said, however, what makes Twitter different from say Facebook (who are often accused of ignoring users) is that these guys are very receptive to what their users are saying. Dorsey openly acknowledges that so much of Twitter has been defined by its users and so it must “continue being a good listener”. Thus, making me feel less stupid about offering my humble opinions as to what Twitter can improve on.

Before I do that let me address this comparison to Facebook. Twitter is often talked about alongside Facebook, but they are two very different companies.

Twitter is expected to reach 200 million users by the end of the year, Facebook already has in excess of 500million and as the tag-line to The Social Network says “you don’t get to 500million friends without making a few enemies”.

Twitter is a much younger company and is yet to experience the trials and tribulations that Facebook has negotiated, and it is then that the skills of Costolo, Dorsey and William will truly be tested; when they are faced between what is best for the company and best for its users.

Areas that Twitter can work on:

Changing perception

One of the biggest challenges ahead for Twitter is changing public opinion, and by this I mean making those who are not on Twitter see that it is more than a stream of Facebook status updates. Twitter feeds are much more useful and powerful than this if used efficiently and creatively, but many people are simply unaware of this. I am sure many people reading this can recount a time when they have unsuccessful tried to explain the value of Twitter to a friend. If Twitter can show people it can add value to their online experience then it may well be able to start closing the gap with Facebook in user terms.

Direct Messages

Something that really annoys me is only being able to direct message one user at a time. When you are trying to contact various people regarding the same subject, it is frustrating to not be able to cc people into the same message.
Another problem with the direct message service is the lack of a delete all button. For those tweeters who receive countless messages a day, having to individually delete each separate message must be very frustrating and time-consuming.

140 character limit

Now many people believe that Twitter needs to increase, or even discard, its character limit, but I disagree. I like the fact that everything is so short and easily digestible, but what about making links exempt from this? So in effect, links would become like attachments to your tweet, giving you more room to write.

Linking related tweets

When a especially long tweet (say a quote from someone) comes over more than one tweet, shifting through the news feed to read the second part of the message is particularly frustrating.

I know there are apps (twitlonger) and other ways of tackling this problem, but what about an option to link related tweets together. Thus, when a tweet spills into a second message the reader can simply click a button and be taken to the point on their news feed where the next part of the message is.

Moreover, if somebody was tweeting on the same subject (ie reaction to a press-conference/live event) then they could link their tweets together, therefore allowing readers to quickly shift through the news feed and see a specific persons views. Thus, this would be extremely helpful if you wanted to just read say Henry Winter’s tweets/reaction to today’s World Cup presentations.

Final thoughts…

I think what makes Twitter so unique is that it has no predecessor or real direct competition, it is not following trends, it is making them, and this is a dangerous position to be in as a young company ((let us not forget it has only been around for four years). One wrong move and, instead of becoming as big as Facebook, Twitter could become like MySpace (which NewsCorp are trying to offload because of its decreased relevance in the online world), Friendster, LiveJournal and all those other social networking sites that have failed to truly cement their place in the online world.

What would you like to see Twitter adopt? How can Twitter improve its service? Disagree with the above? Please leave comments below.

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Twitter needs regulation

Posted on November 29, 2010 by Rajvir Rai| 5 Comments

Twitter has long been a lauded as an immensely powerful tool in the battle against censorship and the battle for greater transparency of information, but it is also a tool that needs to be regulated.

The paradox of Twitter is that what makes it so revolutionary – its lack of censorship and regulation – is what makes it so enticing and potentially powerful to those individuals with ulterior motives.

In a recent interview co-founders Biz Stone and Evan Williams admitted that nobody moderates tweets on the site, but that they would ban tweets with specific violent threats, links to child pornography, and copyrighted content for which they receive take-down orders.

The questions of protecting children on Twitter acutely came into focus yesterday (for me at least anyway) after Lily Allen launched a foul-mouth tirade on the social networking site and popular ex-cricketer turned pundit David Lloyd was abused by two tweeters.

Responding to an article a journalist had written about her Allen said:

http://twitter.com/#!/lilyroseallen

Now Allen might be completely justified in her attack on Nichol, the latter may well have written an article that was completely unsubstantiated, but what Allen must recognise is that she is a role model in the public eye and so can’t use language like this.

How many of Allen’s 2,503,418 followers are likely to be young fans whose parents would certainly not want their children exposed to such language?

Lloyd meanwhile reacted angrily and temporarily announced his retirement from the Twittersphere after being attacked by two tweeters.

@benlord89's offensive tweet to @Bumblecricket


@BumbleCricket's response to the tirade

What unites these two incidents (apart from the fact they happened within 24 hours of each other) is that they show how easily offensive material can be accessed and spread across Twitter – if you don’t believe me use the hashtag #sex and see the results.

One way is to protect young children from such offensive language and material is to outlaw it and then ban those that fail to abide by the rules from the site – something that former England captain Michael Vaughan yesterday suggested.

What Twitter really needs is something akin to Facebook’s report abuse button to ensure that its immense social power isn’t abused by unscrupulous individuals.

Now I’m no computer genius but I’m pretty sure without regulation it is fairly straight forward for even the most dim-witted of individuals to promote a specific agenda. For savvier individual’s who better understand the mechanics of Twitter the potential is endless. As long as they load their tweets with the correct words and present themselves in an appropriate manner (by this I mean they don’t start ranting and raving so obviously that they cause a backlash from the Twittersphere) then they have a ready-made platform to reach countless like-minded people.

Twitter is a truly remarkable tool that has revolutionised the social and media landscapes, but the company’s decision-makers need to realise that actually some regulation would benefit all. Regulation would help make Twitter a safer, cleaner, and more reputable space and surely this can only be a good thing – if only to protect young children from offensive material?

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Anti-Obesity Day: But India’s real problem is poverty

Posted on November 26, 2010 by Rajvir Rai| 1 Comment

Today, November 26th, will be like any other day in England. In India, however, it is Anti-Obesity day – a day which is supposed to raise awareness about the alarming unhealthy lifestyle of so many – but there is more at stake than just rising cholesterol and diabetes levels here.

A few days ago the Guardian picked up this story and (quite justifiably) led with the shocking statistic that a third of Delhi private schoolchildren are obese. Yet, while Nina Martyris’ article acknowledges the elephant in the room, it does not fully address it.

What makes these obesity figures (recent reports estimate that one in five men and one in six women are overweight) and the over indulgence of the wealthy minority even more nauseating is the fact that so much of the country is malnourished and struggling to eat at all.

India – a country of great extremes – is paradoxically battling rising obesity levels and extreme poverty simultaneously.

Poverty has been India’s elephant in the room for a long time now. They know it’s there, they have confronted it, but they can’t seem to get it to budge. The recent Human Development Report spelled it out clearly: India is failing in its battle against poverty.

Thus, while the US-based Martyris makes insightful and sophisticated comments about the differences between America and India, surely bigger issues could have been explored.

Her article ends as follows:

“More critically, a country with the largest number of chronically malnourished children in the world would be ill-served if its stretched resources were diverted to fight a big, fat lifestyle problem.”

To my mind this is more worrying than the fact that a 1/3 of Delhi schoolchildren are overweight.

The underlying issue is how and when will the gap between the poorest – those who struggle to find one meal a day – and the richest – who are seemingly consuming excessively – be bridged.

Now I am in no position to be offering advice to Manmohan Singh’s government, but while an anti-obesity day is great, what about a ‘let’s tackle poverty day’ – a day to increase awareness, especially among those fortunate enough (in the West and East alike) to be able to do something about it, about the sheer destitute state of so many.

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Sam Khan: Ready to ‘B Somebody’

Posted on November 22, 2010 by Rajvir Rai| Leave a comment

23, CEO of his own company, a clothing range, a record label and a song on iTunes, life is pretty good for Sam Khan, but it hasn’t always been.

“I didn’t have any of the luxuries that my peers in school took for granted,” says Khan as he recalls his troubled childhood. “I was a victim of domestic violence and psychological bullying.”

After Khan’s parents separated he lived with his father and his memories of those early years are full of resentment, anger and tinged with regret –because of his hostile relationship with his abusive father, but also due to a lost relationship with his mother (whom he only met at aged 15).

“As a little kid I had more of a fear factor towards my dad, as opposed to love or respect, so when I grew up and the fear factor vanished there was no love or respect to replace it and our relationship that had broken a long time ago was exposed.”

It is clear that for the young Khan music served many purposes. It simultaneously was his form of expression in a stifling household, his tool to achieving independence and his means of better understanding himself and his life.

Khan’s painful early experiences, which are set to verse on the track “Fall Back”, are the driving force behind his relentless determination to ‘B Somebody’ – the name of his brand.

“It is a brand, ideology and label created using the title of a track from my first cd ‘Me, My Pen and I’. It represents striving for success regardless of your circumstances.” says Khan with pride.

Khan (real name Sameer) along with friends Nikhil Patel and Nicos Antoniades (NikSquared) have created a Youtube TV channel, website, record label and clothing range out of this idea that everybody in life is just trying to ‘B Somebody’.

Khan’s latest song, “I love your lady”, is now available to download on iTunes and has been receiving increasing airtime, but, while he is enjoying his success, he is not resting on his laurels.

“It’s a great feeling to see my efforts flourishing, but I’ve always got in mind that I want to achieve so much more, so I don’t get too carried away and satisfied with what I’ve done already,” said Khan.

“For now my main aim is to promote my music and establish B Somebody as a leading UK music label and brand, eventually we will take on more artists and expand even further.”

Khan’s focus and dedication mean that it is easy to forget that he is still only 23 years old. Surely he has to pinch himself to check that it is all real?

“I have had a lot of proud achievements but because everything has been started from scratch and built from nothing, it all feels very real!

“Maybe sometimes when things happen for people overnight, or when luck is involved people have to pinch themselves, but for me it is all a product of the hard-work that has been put in.”

With x-factor fever gripping the country Khan, who is a fan of the show, admits that he toyed with the reality TV approach.

“I briefly considered going on Britain’s Got Talent but then thought better of it,” reveals Khan.

“For a lot of people going on X factor is great exposure, but the fact that not many artists come out of the show and go on to become hugely successful begs the question is it the right type of exposure?

“A lot of them are told what songs to sing and the whole thing is very manufactured. I do enjoy watching x factor because its related to music, but I wish they would introduce a ‘write your own song’ week, as that would really test how good the final 12 are and what genre and image they would give themselves.”

Born and raised in Wembley, North West London, Khan is very much a product of his surroundings and experiences. His ability to write succinct and powerful lyrics undoubtedly stems from those hours of childhood practice and his fierce independence and determination are by-products of his turbulent relationship with his father.

Something tells me that while we won’t be seeing Khan on any of Simon Cowell’s shows, we will definitely be seeing more of him in the near future. Khan’s company maybe called ‘B Somebody’ but it is clear that he already ‘IS Somebody’.

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Blog your way into a job? I’m not so sure

Posted on November 17, 2010 by Rajvir Rai| 23 Comments

Want to be a journalist? You must have a blog.

That is the message being sent out to all aspiring journalists, but is having a blog now becoming nothing more than a pre-requisite? Something that will make sure your CV doesn’t go in the bin at stage one of the application process, rather than something that will stand you out from the crowd?

Last month Josh Halliday of the Guardian and Dave Lee of the BBC told a room packed full of aspiring journalists, all desperate to hear that blogging would get them ahead in such a competitive industry, that they owe their success to their blogs.

Now, while many of my fellow hacks were reassured that blogging would eventually bare dividends or were inspired to enter the blogosphere, I was left with a distinctly different feeling.

What struck a chord with me was the fact that when Halliday and Lee were undergraduates they were part of the minority who were blogging. Halliday revealed that in his undergraduate class he was the only person who had a blog! In comparison, nearly all of my fellow hacks at City have a blog – and a couple even have two.

With this in mind, it is clear that a few years ago a blog really set you apart from crowd, but now with a plethora of people (including many who have no desire to become professional journalists) jumping on the bandwagon, standing out to the extent that the industry recognises you is becoming increasingly difficult – if not impossible.

Unless you have stuck upon a totally unique idea, like the wannabehacks or those behind Blog Preston, it is unlikely that your blog will be the reason you get a job. Using myself as a case-study, I blog about areas that interest me (sport, Asian issues and the media) and I do okay out of it, but I don’t for one minute think that a potential employer will be impressed enough with this site to offer me a job.

Now I’m not saying don’t have a blog, at the very least it gives you a platform to voice your opinions and hone your skills, but do not expect your blog to be your ticket into the industry.

Having a blog will demonstrate your commitment to journalism and that you have an awareness of the growing importance of online media, but to really stand out, in the way that Lee and Halliday did, I think anticipating the next big trend is what will set you apart.
This, however, is easier said than done.

Data journalism, hyper-local blogging, freedom of information….if I had the answers I wouldn’t be scratching my head and looking at baffled expression on my computer screen right now. The next online revolution is waiting to explode, if you can find it, get on it (and if you could let me know that would be great).


Disagree? Do you think your blogging can lead you into a job please let me know?

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Formula One: Vettel leads new generation of German stars

Posted on November 15, 2010 by Rajvir Rai| Leave a comment

Sebastian Vettel yesterday won the Formula One World Championship and brought to end one of the most exciting seasons in a long time, but in a campaign where everyone hoped two Brits would battle it out for the title, it was a pack of Germans that stole the show.

The prospect of Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton, two former world champions, racing for McLaren had British racing fans foaming at the mouth. Alas, there was no fairy tale ending as Hamilton could only finish fourth in the overall standings, one place ahead of outgoing champion Button.

Despite this dream never really looking like it would become a reality, it has been a season to remember. We’ve had team orders, team-mates crashing, a competitive field with real depth and a title race that went down to the last race and produced the youngest Formula One world champion in history.

While Vettel attracted attention for all the right reasons (his consistency, his great pace throughout the season and his maturity), another former world champion has attracted headlines for all the wrong reasons.

Ok so, Michael Schumacher is more than just a former world champion, he is arguably the most successful Formula One driver ever, but his comeback season has been anti-climatic to say the least.

Nobody expected Schumacher to replicate the form he showed during his eleven year spell at Ferrari, but we at least expected some glimpses of that old magic. The closest we got to seeing the old Schumacher was when he dangerously squeezed former team mate Rubens Barrichello against the pit wall during the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Moreover, Schumacher was not just outshone by Vettel – who has the potential to become a leading force in the sport – he was also consistently upstaged by his teammate Nico Rosberg, who had a good season and also has a bright future ahead of him. Former F1 driver Gerhard Berger has even gone as far as saying that Rosberg is already a better driver than Vettel.

Rookie Nico Hulkenberg and Adrian Sutil have also caught the eye this season. The former memorably captured pole position for the Brazilian Grand Prix, and the latter has been heavily touted as a potential replacement for Schumacher should Mercedes GP decide to ditch him.

However, let’s not forget that a certain Spaniard (Fernando Alonso) and Australian (Mark Webber) also played a huge part in this fantastic season. Alonso’s late surge certainly kept people glued to their seats right till the death, and Webber’s battles with Vettel were fascinating to watch even before they took each other out at Turkey.

For me though, it was the Germans that stole the show – and one in particular stole the biggest prize of all from under everybody else’s nose. 2010 was a great year for German racing (minus Schumacher) and the fantastic four of Vettel, Rosberg, Hulkenberg and Sutil will only get better in 2011. Formula One fans may have to start getting used to hearing the German national anthem…

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Let’s not let extremists ruin Remembrance Day

Posted on November 11, 2010 by Rajvir Rai| 5 Comments

Today is the 11th of the 11th – Remembrance Day – a day when the country unites (if only very briefly). However, that blissful two minutes, where young and old, white, brown and black, all unite to pay their respects to those who sacrificed their lives for this country, may today be disrupted by extremist groups who claim to be acting in the greater good.

The Muslims Against Crusades and English Defence League are both reportedly planning demonstrations today. The MAC want to disrupt the two minute silence because “Remembrance Day is a symbol of imperialism and everything that is wrong with democracy and man-made law.” While the EDL are planning a counter emergency demonstration to ensure the silence is respected.

The reality is that both the MAC and EDL, if they do indeed march today (which I sincerely hope they do not) will be doing so for highly questionable reasons.

The basis of the MAC’s argument is completely flawed. Remembrance Day is “not a symbol of imperialism” but a symbol of the underlying good of mankind. A symbol of how people, however dispersed and disparate they may seem, are united by a belief in the common good. Anyone who watched the BBC’s Remembrance: The Sikh Story will have seen how countless Sikhs soldiers fought side by side with their British counterparts, despite the fact that this was a war taking place on the other side of the world.

Moreover, the MAC fail to understand that they would not be able to hold such a protest if it hadn’t been for the actions of these soldiers. If they hadn’t sacrificed their lives then the world would be a very different place right now, a place where MAC wouldn’t exist and many Muslims would not be able to lead safe and happy lives in Britain.

The EDL, meanwhile, claim to be protecting the memory of fallen soldiers, but a quick read of their forums and facebook page reveals their true intentions. This is a chance for them to fight. It is plain for everyone to see that the EDL’s ideology is completely at odds with the ethos of Remembrance Day. It is laughable to think that the EDL actually think that people will congratulate them for what they are doing.

Today is a day to pay respect, a day to take stock of how fortunate we really are, a day to spare a thought to those who are grieving, and a day to put differences aside and unite. Let’s not let the MAC and EDL, with all their propaganda and bluster, take away from the true spirit of the 11th of the 11th.

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