Viewing Perspectives

IMOLA AT 20: WHY DID ERIK COMAS STOP AT TAMBURELLO?

The most popular article in the history of Viewing Perspectives was this one - published in April 2014. It is from the 'Imola at 20' series, focusing on one of the stranger events of the dark weekend at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, when Erik Comas sped out of the pits under a red flag to try and help the stricken Ayrton Senna. Why did he stop at Tamburello? This piece has all the background to the event.
COSTA DEL SOL - A GUIDE TO WHAT IS ON OFFER.

Second biggest article in terms of hits was a tourist guide I wrote back in 2013 during my time as a destinations writer with Holiday-Weather.com, one of the my most enjoyable freelance roles. Anyone interested in going to the Costa del Sol for a weekend party, a family holiday or a more extended break should check out some of the best hotels, restaurants, attractions and events.
WHAT MAKES US CARE - A STUNNING EXHIBITION

Completing the top three is a review piece and one of my ultimate favourites. It was a review on the What Makes Us Care exhibition, which was the first photography exhibition by the Skins and Finding Carter actress Kathryn Prescott. Prescott went to LA and London to take photos of her friends and work colleagues in difficult conditions. The free exhibit in London was a priviledge to visit and received widespread praise. All funds went to two wonderful charities, Centrepoint and The Big Issue Foundation.

Sunday, 16 November 2014

Thursday, 11 September 2014

Does time heal everything?

Posted on 20:45 by Simon

By Simon Wright – Follow me on Twitter @Siwri88

As we all go through aspects of our lives, we will experience momentous occasions. These events can vary from the happy moments of marriage, having children, job promotions and graduation to the more difficult memories of family tragedy, health concerns, loss of working income and missing out on romance.

However, does time heal everything thrown at individuals? Using a couple of my recollections and a moment where the whole world changed irreversibly, I examine whether it is possible to move on from challenging and extremely fraught circumstances.

The healer of time

If the title of this piece is the question posed towards myself, I would say that most tough parts of life can be healed. This can be through various methods – from hard work and identifying where it went wrong to a few damming self-assessments.

One of those moments was a spell of tricky results in exams. Throughout my education history, I wouldn’t say I was a budding Mastermind champion of the future, but I always put the work in and did my best, even when the odds were against me of achieving great results.

In 2005, I got a reality check though with a set of disastrous GCSE results. I had been predicted to get eight A-C grades seven months earlier, without Double Science which was a lost cause from an early stage. I ended up well below that mark on the day of the results itself.

That was a really tough moment, seeing my fellow friends celebrate with a mixture of delight and relief and there I was, in the middle of the secondary school hall I attended, looking devastated and basically in the middle of a blur. It was a scenario I had never imagined. One thing I remember thinking was ‘How do I come back from this?’

I did though. I accepted that I hadn’t worked hard enough and raised my game. I got into sixth form, followed by college and then University. Seven years later, I was leaving Uni with a 2:1 final grade in my specialist subject. Time was a great healer in this experience.

Not so when it comes to losing people special in your life though. Friends come and go, colleagues can become a regular source of contact and then gradually fade away when you move on. It happens, as much as we dislike it. However, when it comes to saying goodbye for the last time, the healing process sometimes can’t be fixed.

In my case, I have had to deal with this on a few occasions and simply, time doesn’t heal whether it is one, five or fifty years after the event occurred. Sure, you must try to move on and you have to in a way but those who depart close to us can never be replaced. In these moments, you must try to remember the happy moments, the good experiences that brought you together. It is the only way possible to at least deal with the grief.

Irreversible change

Sometimes, time simply can’t heal and for one country and even the world, dates get transfixed where change happens and it is irreversible, it will never be forgotten.

Today (Thursday) marks the 13^th anniversary of one of the world’s blackest days. The terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11^th 2001 left a country in mourning, a world in deep shock and for the people directly affected, in a state of total remorse.

Thousands of people lost their lives that day, whether that was on the hijacked planes, or in the towers of the World Trade Centre in New York – both collapsing after they were deliberately targeted and crashed into by international terrorists. The planet was beginning to learn of the serious affect terrorism was about to play over the next 13 years.

For many people caught up in the atrocity, they were totally innocent. It is almost impossible to imagine what many were doing that morning when they woke up in America, with no knowledge whatsoever of the fate that was to befall them.

It was an attack that was witnessed by millions across the world on television. It was a time where the kings of the internet now, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube were just an idea in the fantasies of the creators. It was 24-hour news channels that brought us the shocking pictures into our living rooms and bedrooms. It was a country under attack and at the heart of it, personal tragedy (memorial pictured below) wherever you went.

The 9/11 memorial - on the sight where the Twin Towers used to stand

If you were old enough, then we all remember what we were doing that day, wherever you were. The first plane hit the North Tower of the World Trade Centre just before 2pm UK time on that late summer’s Tuesday afternoon. At that time, I was into my second week of secondary school, in a maths class, being taught something about fractions or equations by a teacher who had major language limitations with his spoken use of English.

13 years on and that pain will always be there for the families and friends who lost loved ones on 9/11. Time simply doesn’t heal in this instance. That day, our lives changed. The world changed forever. Today, there should be a time to remember the many thousands who perished in America, but also those caught up in similar disgusting acts in the coming years in Bali, Madrid, Istanbul and of course, London in 2005.

Today, the thoughts with many in the world should be with the families who lost their closest and dearest on 9/11.

So does time heal pain?

Ultimately, time can heal the element of pain but it also won’t, no matter what happens.

I think it just depends on the actual scenario that takes place. Happiness can be easily found with someone else if a relationship breaks up, but that might not always happen. Some elements are easy to fix as time moves on but it is impossible in other situations.

It might sound inconclusive, but that is the reality of it all. As time passes, pain can be healed and replaced with joy, but sometimes, it will leave an empty void that simply can’t be filled.

Categories: America, Anniversary, Country, Emptiness, Exams, GCSEs, Healing, People, Time, World

Sunday, 7 September 2014

The Ice Bucket Challenge - Has it lost its purpose?

Posted on 19:56 by Simon

By Simon Wright – Follow me on Twitter @Siwri88

It has become the latest internet craze and it is raising money for causes that deserve it. However, the Ice Bucket Challenge, which has seen actors & actresses, musicians, TV personalities and sports stars raise awareness for ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), is threatening to get out of control.

Questions are starting to be raised about the point of the challenge and has it lost its edge/purpose? I promote more background on the Ice Bucket craze and give my view on the summer sensation online.

The idea

So, the Ice Bucket Challenge does exactly what it says on the tin (excuse the pun). It involves people dumping a bucket of ice over themselves, or being assisted in this way by another member of a team, whether that is a family member, relationship partner or work colleague (group pictured conducting the challenge below).

A group of people in Sunderland undertake the Ice Bucket Challenge

The act has to be filmed and the video is then posted online, usually onto social media channels like Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The person doing the challenge then usually nominates 3-5 people to do the same and give them a timeframe to do the challenge, often between 24-48 hours.

Of course, this isn’t something that should be done for fun or a pointless laugh. A charitable donation has to be made to complete the challenge. In America, which is where the craze got underway, it is often towards the ALS association, whilst over here in the UK, the regular charity benefiting from this is the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

It all sounds simple, or does it?

Celebrity impact

The challenge starting receiving impact in June this year, when personalities from a breakfast programme in the US did the challenge live on-air.

The craze then started to spread with donations being made and more celebrities being nominated. Even Barack Obama and David Cameron were nominated to do the challenge. Wisely, both declined and made just a donation instead. Whilst it could be seen as a bit of good-humoured fun, could you imagine the amount of flak that Cameron would get if he did this? Ed Miliband would have a field day at PMQ’s!

Many other famous faces or familiar names have done their bit though. They include the likes of Susan Boyle, Mark Zuckerberg, Oprah Winfrey, Lewis Hamilton, Lady Gaga and George W. Bush.

Even TV characters have done it, including Kermit the Frog from the Muppets and Homer Simpson from the Simpsons (video below of Homer’s challenge)

More recently, I’ve seen my News Feed, especially on Facebook plastered with my friends and colleagues doing the challenge and being nominated. The spread of this ‘bug’ has been massive.

Happy and sad endings

The main charity cause IBC has helped on these shores is the Motor Neurone Disease Association. In my case, I do charity donations anyway, and however small this can be, it makes me feel pleased to be giving something back. Recently, the British Heart Foundation sent me a letter to celebrate the first year anniversary of giving money to their fight against heart disease on a monthly basis.

My donations are helping the British Heart Foundation fund groundbreaking heart medicine to save people lives. A case study of this was received as part of the letter I received last month. 18 months into her life, Lauren Burns was diagnosed with a hole in her heart. She underwent major surgery and when complications occurred from this, Lauren spent three months hooked up to a life support machine, fighting for her life. Doctors gave her little hope of survival, but nine years on, Lauren is walking, talking and behaving like many girls of her age band. My donation is helping the BHF and allows more people like Lauren in the UK to come back from the brink and live the quality of life they are today. It is these stories that can have a happy ending.

More notably, Sky Sports F1 presenter Natalie Pinkham has been on a remarkable journey in the last three years with a cause close to her heart. In 1999, Natalie worked in an orphanage in Romania and developed a close bond with a young child, called Mirela. After a moving visit to find Mirela 12 years later, Natalie, with the help of her Grand Prix connections and the charity Hope & Homes for Children, set out to raise £200,000 to build a home for Mirela and her siblings. The story was followed in two moving documentaries for Channel 5. With Natalie’s determination and the help of others, the target was achieved and Mirela and other children were able to move into their new home at the start of 2014. As the home can provide a decent quality of life, it gave Mirela a proper home she could grow up in.

Sadly in early March, Mirela passed away from acute cardio-respiratory failure, just four days after A Home for Mirela was screened on Channel 5. It was a sad ending to an emotional and very moving journey.

Has IBC lost its edge?

The more videos of the Ice Bucket Challenge go online, the more the craze continues but it begs the question though, that despite the money being raised – has it lost its edge?

There could be a concern that some are doing the challenge and then not following up with a promised donation. I hope that is not the case. There are no accusations being made, but I’m sure there is the odd person who hasn’t thought too much about why they are doing the IBC.

If you have been nominated, I’d do it and make the donation. There are special cases and like I mentioned earlier, the media would have a field day if the President of the United States or our own PM did it when the world we live in is experiencing plenty of worldwide conflict. There isn’t a law for not doing the challenge, but at least make a donation if nominated.

There are critics out there in regards to the Ice Bucket Challenge. The waste of water has been mentioned. This is a very valid point, but if donations are being made to various charities, not just the ones first benefiting, then I think it cancels out this argument.

Also, some have taken it too far, with reports of a bullying case in the United States recently on a child who suffers from autism. The important thing about IBC is not to take it seriously. It is a bit of light-hearted fun. At the end of the day though, make sure to remember why you are doing it. You are doing it to help other causes, not to make yourself look like a fool on YouTube and bask in the limelight for it.

Like the no make-up selfie in March, the Ice Bucket Challenge has raised awareness and that is a good thing. I’m sure there will be something else of a groundbreaking context that will sweep social media channels next year. It might be the way to go in the future when it comes to regular donations.

However, the power of the internet can also carry a poisonous edge to it. IBC is the internet craze of the summer but it is starting to lose the ‘cool’ effect. Maybe it is time to put this onto the scrapheap and think of something else. As long as various charities are benefiting from these campaigns, it is good, but it does need to remain fresh in the minds and not become a repetitive stunt.

Categories: America, Charity, Ice, Ice Bucket Challenge, Internet, Money, Social Media, TV, UK, Water

Monday, 25 August 2014

Mercedes at war

Posted on 16:05 by Simon

By Simon Wright – Follow me on Twitter @Siwri88

The 2014 Formula One World Championship took another dramatic twist as the two title contenders from the same team collided at Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps.

Championship leader Nico Rosberg tried to overtake Britain’s Lewis Hamilton on the second circuit of the 44-lap race, but touched the back of his teammate (pictured below), puncturing a tyre on Hamilton’s car and forcing him to retire. Rosberg went on to finish second and extend his championship lead to a healthy 29 points, with seven races remaining.

The damage is done and Lewis Hamilton thinks this was done on purpose by Nico Rosberg

What followed was even more gobsmacking. Hamilton has since told the media that Rosberg admitted to deliberately crashing into him on purpose. So, with this story set to rumble on for the next fortnight, here is my take on the dire situation that has pushed the Mercedes team to war.

The build-up to the incident

Tension has been bubbling underneath the surface between Hamilton and Rosberg this season, with some barbed comments in the media and a few tense, but thrilling battles on-track. Hamilton often prevailed in these, leaving Rosberg behind in the wheel-to-wheel racing. His lead has been built on strong consistency, whilst Hamilton hasn’t had huge amounts of luck with car failures at the Australian and Canadian Grand Prix, along with two qualifying nightmares recently that have seen him at the back of the field on raceday.

In Hungary last time out, Hamilton ignored a team order to allow Rosberg through. It was an unnecessary instruction given out by the team, as they were on different strategies at the time. Rosberg was unimpressed by the handling of it and Hamilton’s refusal to work with the team. You sensed something was brewing before the summer break. As they arrived back in Spa, it became clear that body language was becoming strained and the previous friendship had all but been shattered.

Rosberg grabbed pole position in qualifying, but bogged down at the start on Sunday, handing the lead to his championship rival. What happened next was inevitable. On the second lap, Rosberg got into Hamilton’s slipstream and tried to pass around the outside of the Les Combes chicane. Hamilton gave him space, but was clearly ahead on turn-in. Rosberg had a chance to back out of the move, but didn’t. He left his front wing in the danger zone and clipped Hamilton, puncturing a tyre immediately on his rival. Despite needing a new nosecone at his first stop, Rosberg benefited hugely from it by still finishing second, but it has opened up the biggest story of the 2014 season.

Did he do it on purpose?

Looking at the onboard footage and the live action at the time and I don’t think you can say that Rosberg did what he did on purpose. If he did, then he did it extremely cleverly, so no-one would know. It wasn’t as clear-cut as when Nelson Piquet binned his car deliberately into the wall at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. You would expect Rosberg to be precise and not make things obvious.

If it is true that he did admit to crashing into Hamilton to prove a point, then it is unprofessional and totally unsporting. Effectively, he is cheating his way to the championship and if he wants it so badly, he can have it. However, we can only go from Hamilton’s version of what was said. It came in a post-race debrief when obviously tensions were high and emotions still pretty raw on the surface.

It is the kind of behaviour that we don’t want to see. Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher have both deliberately tried to take opposition out of an event to try and win championships. In Schumacher’s case (1997), he failed and his creditability took a battering for it.

I would say looking at the various angles and agree with many observers that it was a clumsy and unnecessary overtaking attempt, especially so early on by the championship leader but would put it down as a racing incident. If he did it on purpose, the book should be thrown at him, meaning severe penalties or even removal of his FIA super license because you can’t do that. Unfortunately, only Rosberg knows what he did and I don’t think he will be telling us in a hurry.

Hamilton is no saint

Hamilton is no saint either though. He hasn’t forgiven Rosberg for screwing him up in qualifying in Monaco, when Rosberg went down the escape road and caused yellow flags in the dying stages of Q3, preventing Hamilton from taking pole position. It is time he got over that and he admitted to the BBC yesterday that “Monaco was worse than this.”

He drove back to the pits like an absolute lunatic. I don’t know what speed he was trying to do through the flat-out Blanchimont corner on three wheels but it wrecked the bodywork and cause more damage to his aerodynamics. That made the car even more difficult to drive and led to inevitable retirement in the closing stages. If he had taken greater care in getting back to the pits, less damage would have been caused and he might have recovered to rescue some points.

From lap 20 onwards though, he was constantly moaning on the team radio about the need to save engine mileage and they should stop the car. Mercedes showed no leadership in this situation and should have told him to be quiet and just drive. For Hamilton to mentally show no heart in racing before half-distance and basically give up though lacks class. We want British sportsman to go down fighting, even if they come up short. He failed that test and you don’t see Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel say or do that, when you consider the limited machinery they have been given this season for all their talent.

Hamilton should take stock of the situation. Of course, he was unlucky in this scenario but react better to it all. By provoking reactions with what he said afterwards, he should have kept things in-house. Still, at least he hasn’t attacked his teammate on social media yet…free telemetry anyone!

He has a supporting family, a gorgeous girlfriend, a championship-winning racing car and earns millions of pounds through driving and various sponsorship endorsements, yet he still at times acts like a spoilt kid. Lewis turns 30 next year, and these tantrums should be long out of his system.

What happens now?

With seven races left, it will take a miracle for a Mercedes driver not to win the championship, although if they keep fighting amongst themselves, Daniel Ricciardo has the ability to sneak in and shock them, just like Kimi Raikkonen did to Hamilton and Alonso when they fell out as McLaren teammates in 2007.

It is important for racing to be the focus, and therefore, Mercedes need to try and regain some form of control. Getting their drivers to say absolutely nothing in the next nine days before the paddock reconvenes in Monza for the Italian Grand Prix would help for starters.

Then, they need to get their warring drivers to call an uneasy truce in the short-term, because if they carry on like they are and throw away this championship, you can be sure that someone will pay the price from the racing team. The board in Stuttgart should be concerned with what they witnessed.

After that, one of the drivers has to move on and with Rosberg tied down to a multi-year contract; Hamilton will probably have to leave. It is clear that he can’t work together with Rosberg. The relationship has broken down past repair on a long-term basis. With a new partnership about to start with Honda and Ron Dennis back at the helm, could a return back home to McLaren be looming? Do not rule that thought out...

Formula One in 2014 has been a quiet season in all forms. As only a casual viewer nowadays, what happened in Belgium yesterday though makes it box office material between now and the unpopular Abu Dhabi double points finale in November.

Categories: 2014, Accidents, Belgium, Consistency, Formula One, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, Nico Rosberg, Puncture, Tyres

What happened to the Today newspaper?

Posted on 15:17 by Simon

By Simon Wright – Follow me on Twitter @Siwri88

The newspaper industry has been through a rough time in the past three years and most of it is down to failures of simple practices. Struggles to match the demand for online content, combined with the phone-hacking scandal of 2011 has seen sales drop and the appeal to win people’s attention decrease. Indeed, in my case now, I am only likely to buy a newspaper when I’m on holiday out of the UK. The market just doesn’t seem to be there anymore, which is perhaps a good thing, considering the behaviour of some journalists and newspaper editors in recent times.

Phone-hacking came back into the public sphere in the summer when former news editor of the News of the World, Andy Coulson was jailed for his role in hacking the phones of celebrities. Another chief news editor of the defunct newspaper, Rebekah Brooks, was cleared on all charges. The News of the World isn’t the only paper though that has ceased to exist.

In fact, British newspapers do come and go. Whilst the red-top tabloids still dominate circulation figures, broadsheets are still around and provide a more accurate approach in comparison to some of the sensationalized reporting you’d often find in the Daily Mirror and the Daily Star. One paper that did revolutionise the British newspaper industry was Today.

It didn’t last a decade, but made its mark. So, whatever happened to the Today newspaper (logo pictured below)?

The Today newspaper made a short impact on journalism in the 1980s

Early struggles

Launching on 4^th March 1986, Today was seen as the honest tabloid, a newspaper that was a balance in the middle between left-wing and right-wing competitors. Seen as competing in the same market as the Daily Express and the Daily Mail, Today pioneered newspaper technology in the mid-1980s, by becoming the UK’s first complete colour newspaper. It was a time where computer photo-typesetting was still a new technology and many other papers stuck to the tried and trusted Linotype machines.

Eddy Shah was the original owner of the paper. A Manchester-based businessman, Shah believed he could take on the might of Rupert Murdoch and Robert Maxwell, the two most dominating media moguls of the 1980s. It wasn’t long though before Today ran into financial difficulties.

Shah, who also owned six local newspapers, took on the trade unions well before the launch of Today. He was the first person to take on Margaret Thatcher’s anti-union laws and anyone who did that to the prime minister would often lose in those days. Within two years of setting up Today, he was gone, selling his empire and moving off into television production instead.

The paper changed ownership twice in its early inception. Tiny Rowland’s Lonrho bought the paper in the summer of 1986 and in 1987; it was eventually sold to Murdoch’s powerful News International brand. Once in Murdoch’s hands, he could control it and despite Today’s change in the way newspapers were printed, there were already signs that it was the beginning of the end.

Cancellations

Alongside the weekday version, a Sunday Today edition was launched but didn’t last long. It was closed early in 1987 as a cost-saving measure. At the same time, Today began an unsuccessful sponsorship of the English Football League. A three-year deal signed at the start of the 1986/87 season lasted just one campaign. For the record, Everton were the only winners of Today Football League Division One!

Murdoch kept Today going, but channelled most of his efforts into his other newspapers, including The Times and the new BSkyB venture, as he tried to turn Sky News into a creditable source of television news journalism. Despite years of decline, the paper survived until 1995 when it ceased publication. Murdoch was concerned that more intelligent people were still interested in the reporting in Today than in the other newspapers he owned.

A sour ending

Today’s most embarrassing story came in its final year. On 19^th April 1995, 168 people were killed in a domestic terrorist bomb attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. In the aftermath, Today made a huge blunder.

The front page of the paper the next day showed a picture of a fireman carrying the body of a young girl with the headline printed “IN THE NAME OF ALLAH”. The editor, Richard Stott and his team believed Muslim terrorists were behind this atrocity. It later turned out that the perpetrators were American survivalists Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols. It left the senior executives quite red-faced.

Today became the first long-running daily newspaper in the UK to close down since the Daily Sketch fell in 1971. The final headline on Friday, 17 November 1995 was “GOODBYE, IT’S BEEN GREAT TO KNOW YOU.”

Today made a short impact and changed the way newspapers were printed in the 1980s. It had its audience, but too many changes in editors and owners meant it wasn’t to become a sustainable threat.

Categories: 1986, 1995, Colour, Eddy Shah, Newspapers, Online, Ownership, Rupert Murdoch, Today, UK

Friday, 15 August 2014

Premier League Preview

Posted on 20:54 by Simon

By Simon Wright – Follow me on Twitter @Siwri88

Just over a month has passed since the conclusion of the World Cup finals in Brazil and now the domestic season is about to begin for the top flight teams. The Barclays Premier League returns for its 23^rd campaign this weekend, as the elite prepare to do battle over the next nine months. And whether the club you support is likely to be in the mix for the title or the desperate scramble to survive, it is bound to provide plenty of drama and tension along the way.

The Premier League returns this weekend and the competition will be fierce

Here, I preview the 20 clubs taking part in the 2014/2015 season and rate their chances with a final finishing position.

ARSENAL

Prediction: 2^nd (Runners-Up)

Arsenal topped the table for a large portion of last season, but fell away in the final third of the campaign and crumbled spectacularly on away trips to Anfield and Stamford Bridge last season. However, Arsene Wenger did manage to end the silverware drought with an extra time win over Hull City in the FA Cup final. Now Community Shield holders too, the Gunners team looks a happy and settled camp. Alexis Sanchez adds to their firepower and is a quality signing whilst Calum Chambers’ time might come sooner than expected following the departure of skipper Thomas Vermaelen to Barcelona. With Theo Walcott due back soon and Mesut Ozil bound to improve on a sticky first season on these shores, Arsenal look well placed for a strong title challenge. The squad looks still a bit short to fight on four fronts but I reckon they will end up as plucky and very close runners-up.

ASTON VILLA

Prediction: 18th (Relegated)

For many years now, Aston Villa have hugely underachieved and last season was another underwhelming campaign for the Villa Park faithful. Great wins away at Arsenal and at home to Chelsea were cancelled out by a string of appalling performances at the end of the season that saw them only finish 15^th for the second successive campaign. Roy Keane has joined the coaching staff and Randy Lerner wants to sell the club, but can’t find a prospective buyer and no wonder. Whoever scouted Philippe Senderos and told Paul Lambert he was a worthwhile signing should also be down the job centre; as Senderos is a car crash of a defender just waiting to happen. With star striker Christian Benteke out injured until October, it will be a tough start and the manager will do well to survive it. However, their Premier League ever-present status will be consigned to the history books by next May.

BURNLEY

Prediction: 20^th (Relegated)

Sean Dyche has done an incredible job and is one of the brightest young managers in the game. On a tight wage bill, he managed to achieve the improbable and get Burnley promoted back to the big time after a four-year absence. It is likely though that the Clarets will find the going extremely tough. Last season’s wonders have stayed together and whilst Matt Taylor and Steven Reid add valuable Premier League experience, you’d be hard pushed to see Burnley staying afloat. More signings are required and I know the manager will be working on strengthening the ranks. It will be a brave and valiant battle against the drop, but Burnley’s stay back in the top flight is expected to be just a one season wonder again.

CHELSEA

Prediction: 1^st (Champions)

Having not won any silverware in two years as a manager, Jose Mourinho has gone through a lean patch in his previously controversial but hugely successful career. Last season was about him redeeming himself after a tainted final year at Real Madrid. Now, he needs trophies because that is what owner Roman Abramovich is expecting. Goals were a struggle last season; although whether Diego Costa is the answer remains to be seen. Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole have gone but another club icon has returned in Didier Drogba and the acquisition of Cesc Fabregas is the best bit of business done this summer. If Costa can get 20 goals minimum and be still aided by the likes of Andre Schurrle, Drogba, Eden Hazard and Oscar to name a few, the ribbons on the trophy should be blue again next Spring.

CRYSTAL PALACE

Prediction: 17^th

Crystal Palace survived last season but start the new campaign in turmoil after LMA Manager of the Year, Tony Pulis, walked out on the club by mutual consent just 48 hours before the season begins. A frustrating summer transfer window for the Eagles has seen the Welshman call time on his fantastic short time in the Selhurst Park dugout. Brede Hangeland, Frazier Campbell and Martin Kelly have all joined and there is enough depth in the squad for them to stay afloat this time. Appointing the right man though is priority no.1 and Malky Mackay would be a wise choice, compared to other mentioned names, like Chris Hughton and David Moyes.

EVERTON

Prediction: 6^th

With a Premier League points record for the club and now, breaking their transfer record to sign Romelu Lukaku on a permanent basis, things are good if you are an Evertonian. Roberto Martinez has taken on the work that Moyes started onto a new level and the Toffees are one of the league’s most exciting teams to watch. Whilst they still lack a bit of squad depth, their starting XI is among the league’s best. Dealing with the Europa League will be a challenge but they should be able to handle it. Again, I think Martinez’s men will just fall short of a top four finish but another top six placing in the table will be seen as a strong season for the blue half of Merseyside.

HULL CITY

Prediction: 12^th

For Steve Bruce, last season was a year of redemption. After his profile took a battering with his disastrous spell as Sunderland manager, Bruce reminded everyone that he is a great managerial talent. Survival and an FA Cup final was great and it gives the fans the excitement of European football arriving at the KC Stadium for the first time in the club’s history. Losing Shane Long is a blow, but the £12m transfer fee should give Bruce enough time to find a strong replacement, whilst the midfield is full of quality – added by the arrivals of Tom Ince and Robert Snodgrass. If they enjoy the Europe experience and get out of it by Christmas, a strong lower mid-table finish is on the cards for the Tigers.

LEICESTER CITY

Prediction: 16^th

After a gap of 10 years outside the Premier League with even a year spent in the third tier as recently as 2009, Leicester City have finally returned back to the big time as champions of the Championship. There are high hopes to make the Foxes a stable member of the elite but it is all about survival this season for Nigel Pearson. He has added Leonardo Ulloa for a club record fee of £8m from Brighton but they have been noticeably quiet in the transfer market so far. It’s great to see them back and I think they will achieve their aims and stay up – although home form must be very strong for them to achieve it.

LIVERPOOL FC

Prediction: 8^th

Liverpool FC came so close, yet so far. The Premier League title that looked theirs for the taking after beating Manchester City in mid-April, slipped away almost quite literally in the final furlong. Top goalscorer Luis Suarez has got his dream move to Barcelona and whilst he will be missed by LFC fans, another bite on a professional footballer at the World Cup meant it was a step too far for the board at Anfield. Active in the transfer market, but Dejan Lovren aside – no player looks like they will make a big impact. Steven Gerrard is on the decline and question marks remain over a leaky backline. Some fans think the title is on but realistically, Brendan Rodgers’ side will get a wake-up call. I hope I’m wrong with my fears but mid-table mediocrity beckons.

MANCHESTER CITY

Prediction: 3^rd

It was a hugely successful debut season in England for Manuel Pellegrini. He guided Manchester City to a League Cup victory and that was backed up by a second Premier League title in three years, playing some of the best football seen in years in England. City did break Financial Fair Play rules, so they have had to be careful with their transfer business but added Porto pair Eliaquim Mangala and Fernando, along with a short-term loan move for Frank Lampard. Much will depend on whether Yaya Toure can regain his deadly form from last season and if Sergio Aguero can have a full campaign without injury disruption. I expect them to go further in Europe this time, but slip into a third-place finish in the league as the challenge from the capital grows.

MANCHESTER UNITED

Prediction: 4^th

So, ‘The Chosen One’ was ‘The Wrong One.’ After the failed David Moyes experiment, step forward Louis van Gaal. The Dutchman might have questionable man-management style but he is a character and a born winner. His CV speaks for itself with domestic titles in Holland, Spain and Germany along with the Champions League with Ajax all the way back in 1995. Luke Shaw and Ander Herrera aside, last season’s average players are back for another go – although it will be interesting to see how the youngsters step up now that Ryan Giggs, Nemanja Vidic, Patrice Evra and Rio Ferdinand have departed the playing staff. It will be a much better campaign for the Red Devils. I think Van Gaal will make winning the Capital One Cup a priority and if he achieves some silverware and a top-four finish, then it is a successful first season. Winning the league isn’t impossible but I do think there are three sides with better squads than what Manchester United have at their disposal.

NEWCASTLE UNITED

Prediction: 9^th

After 18 months of virtually no transfer activity, Alan Pardew has added eight players to the squad at St James’ Park. Last season was a story of two halves. Fighting for European qualification and in the top six on Christmas Day, the Magpies collapsed spectacularly in the second half of the season – winning just five of their last 19 matches. The manager also attracted bad headlines for his crazy head-butt into Hull’s David Meyler in March. Siem de Jong looks the pick of their signings but it will be another mediocre season for the Geordie faithful. 9^th place though would be a minor improvement and hopefully, a quieter year out of the spotlight on and off the pitch.

QPR

Prediction: 14^th

It is welcome back to Harry Redknapp and he will claim there is unfinished business in his managerial career. The man who likes being interviewed out of car windows might not be everyone’s cup of tea but he does attract headlines and often gets the best out of his teams. Redknapp has managed to attract Rio Ferdinand to Loftus Road whilst Steven Caulker and Jordon Mutch are very good additions. Loic Remy has stayed…for now at least and if he does, he’ll get the goals to keep QPR well clear of any relegation danger.

SOUTHAMPTON

Prediction: 15^th

Southampton have had a nightmare summer. Five key players have departed, their manager resigned for the Tottenham job and a star midfielder has told the club he wants to leave and is in no mental condition to play football! It is fair to say that Ronald Koeman seems to have a poisoned chalice on his hands. Saints have added Shane Long to their ranks, whilst Dusan Tadic could be one of the surprises of the season if he matches what he did at FC Twente last season. A drop down the table is anticipated and it is sad to see what has happened on the south coast this summer. They should have enough though to survive.

STOKE CITY

Prediction: 7^th

Having been as low as 17^th in late January, Stoke City went on an impressive run afterwards to finish in ninth place – their best in their Premier League history. Mark Hughes has shown that his QPR mere was just a blip in a fairly strong managerial career to date. The Potters have a tremendous wealth of striking options. Bojan and Mame Diouf join Peter Odemwingie, Peter Crouch and Marko Arnautovic and with a competitive midfield and a strong defensive unit that doesn’t concede many – it could be even better this time around. The fans at the Britannia can expect another strong campaign. Stoke are my dark horse tip.

SUNDERLAND

Prediction: 11^th

Gus Poyet worked miracles last season to keep Sunderland among the elite. They were bottom on Christmas Day and seven points adrift after a 5-1 defeat to Tottenham on 9^th April, yet still survived with unexpected wins over Manchester United and Chelsea helping them achieve the improbable. Poyet has ended Jack Rodwell’s rotten two years at Manchester City and added him to a talented midfield. They still lack a 10-15 goal machine in attack but that is all they need to challenge Newcastle to be top dogs in the Tyne & Wear battle over 38 games.

SWANSEA CITY

Prediction: 10^th

After steering Swansea clear of danger, Garry Monk has earned a full-time promotion to the manager’s hotseat. He has had a difficult summer with Jonathan de Guzman returning to Villarreal, Michu moving to Napoli on loan and Chico Flores, Ben Davies and Michel Vorm all moving onto pastures new too. Wilfried Bony has stayed on and if they start September with the Ivorian still in their ranks, Bony’s goals will keep Swansea well away from trouble. With no European distraction either, it should be a return to the top half for the Swans this time around.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Prediction: 5^th

Tottenham’s plan to buy a whole new team for Gareth Bale backfired. Christian Eriksen aside, none of the newcomers made much of an impact in a turbulent campaign that saw Andre Villas-Boas finished as a Premier League manager before Tim Sherwood’s colourful six months in charge. Now, the calm Mauricio Pochettino (who now speaks English with the media!) takes the helm with the aim of bringing Champions League football back to White Hart Lane. I don’t honestly know what to make of Tottenham if I’m being honest. It could be a season where they beat many of the top teams, then drop silly points to the lesser-quality teams. Fifth place will be the final position but is that enough for owner Daniel Levy? It probably won’t be if previous history goes to form.

WEST BROM

Prediction: 19^th (Relegated)

West Brom’s decision to hire Alan Irvine as manager in June was a big surprise. Having tried and failed with the Pepe Mel experiment, the Baggies look like a strange case of wanting more when it was unrealistic. I wonder how Steve Clarke is feeling now after his harsh and undeserving sacking before Christmas last season. Irvine deserves a chance to at this level but it will be an extremely tough challenge. I don’t think there is enough quality in the squad to survive. Albion used to be the yo-yo club between Premier League and Championship. I’d have to agree with many media outlets that have WBA down as a relegation favourite.

WEST HAM UNITED

Prediction: 13^th

Sam Allardyce kept his job after receiving the dreaded vote of confidence from the owners. David Sullivan and David Gold like Big Sam – even if the fans are growing tired of his fairly sterile tactics. The joint-chairman have insisted that Sam plays a more attacking brand of football but if pre-season formations are anything to go by; this is unlikely. Allardyce has his ways and it keeps teams afloat in the Premier League but it doesn’t fulfil huge progress. Much of the same for West Ham but it is imperative they stay in the Premier League. It would be a tragedy for their great fans to welcome the move to the Olympic Stadium in two years’ time without Premier League football to go with it.

So that’s what I think. Good luck to all 20 teams competing. It is bound to be a nail-biting and enjoyable season ahead.

Categories: Arsenal, Barclays, Burnley, Crystal Palace, Diego Costa, Football, Hull City, Liverpool, Premier League, Romelu Lukaku, Roy Keane

Wednesday, 23 July 2014

Every second counts

Posted on 19:11 by Simon

By Simon Wright – Follow me on Twitter @Siwri88

The month of July is full of milestones for me, both in a good and bad way. They range from the anniversary of my graduation to recently, completing a full year in my full-time role in the publishing industry.

Of course, nothing’s ever perfect in life. Some aim for total perfection but it simply isn’t possible. And this particular month brings back some painful memories which will always remain forever.

It is an incident I don’t like to talk about, largely because it makes me emotional. After much deliberation, I have decided not to go into detail about what actually happened to me on the evening of 23 July 2009. What I will say though is it changed who I was and the proof that every second really does count in life.

Luck on my side

Those close to me personally will know what happened. It was an incident that really shook my confidence. On the night of Thursday, 23 July 2009 – my life could well have ended. I’m not exaggerating either. It was a truly terrifying ordeal and there wasn’t much I could have done when it was taking place. It is at these points and I’m not a religious person where you want the Lord to be looking down on you and ensuring no great harm is done.

I suffered relatively light injuries (that’s if you put a broken nose in that category). In the days afterwards, I had never felt so shaken up, terrified of what might happen next. I was in-between the transfer of finishing college to starting University. I was moving into Halls of Residence in Northampton in less than seven weeks’ time and here was a massive hurdle that was now in my way. I became tense and scared of even leaving home. So, the days afterwards were some of the hardest I’ve ever had to go through. Gradually though, it would get better.

I admit I am very lucky to even be here today. So, I know that but I’m encouraged to have progressed so much since.

That hasn’t come though without needing to make some changes.

No more risks

I think that what happened has made me more of a cautious individual, particularly when it comes to taking risks or a chance that could backfire. I have never been a massive risk-taker anyway but you don’t appreciate the consequences of what could happen if things go wrong. That’s just something that doesn’t need to be factored in.

It has perhaps made me more reluctant to commit to certain aspects of life but if it is what keeps me secure, then it is hardly a crime.

For sure, I became a safer person. There was a period where I would enjoy going out, hitting the nightclubs and having a few too many drinks. Then I would somehow stumble home and not quite remember how that happened. Now, I don’t take those chances anymore. I still like to go out, but I’m more likely to have a few drinks in a bar and have a giggle with some of my close friends rather than go clubbing. Those regular days ended with what happened and while there were still occasions of this at University – only the nights out in the Balestra nightclub in Northampton felt anything truly special. I would always go and have a good time, but remember to get home safe and know I’ve done that too. I’m happy I took this route – it was just a shame something bad had to happen for me to realise this.

The real life lesson

Five years is a long, long time and the fear that was built around me slowly started to come down as the end of summer 2009 approached. I’m thankful the University adventure was when it was. The move to Northampton came at the right time, a great opportunity to make a fresh start.

Physically, I’m okay and emotionally, it is tough to talk about it but when someone asks, I will give brief details. The days afterwards, I got some fantastic support from the people I valued and respected. Friendship is an important part of my life – right up there with family values and for me, much more than a relationship.

Mentally though, the scars of that night will probably always be there. It is not something that can totally be forgotten. It might be the case for 360 days of the year but in the week leading up to the date, it becomes a bit more difficult. I would be lying if I said the incident hasn’t been replayed in my head but luckily, that is only in rare circumstances.

The real life lesson out of it though was the general appreciation of what life is all about. It was something I told one of my closest friends from the college days around a fortnight afterwards and that was; ‘every second of my life is precious now.’

Make the most of the time available to you

And it has been too, both in the good memories and even the moments where things haven’t gone according to plan. Every second counts in life. Always cherish those special moments and make the most of what is available because no-one knows what is around the corner. The unexpected really is the unexpected.

Since then, I am a journalism graduate, a full-time worker in one of my preferred chosen fields, freelance journalist and successful blogger and been on many journeys since, from holidays in Fuerteventura to visits to the Olympic Park in Stratford, the home of British motorsport, Silverstone (twice) and a VIP tour of Wembley Stadium. And I know that if things had gone slightly different five years ago – none of that might have been possible.

So, every second is precious. Don’t waste time – who knows what will happen next.

Categories: 2009, Changes, Five, Friendship, Incidents, July, Life, Milestones, Risks, Seconds

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