There are two reasons why I didn’t watch very much of the recent Women’s World Cup.
The first is that it was being held in Canada, and that meant many of the best games were played at stupid o’clock in the morning.
The second, slightly embarrassing reason, is that I didn’t have great expectations in terms of its potential for excitement.
In the past I’ve made a couple of attempts to get more into women’s football. But, and I’m being perfectly honest here, having been brought up on a lifetime of the men’s game, it just didn’t feel quite right. It always felt slower, less physical, less intense and, generally speaking, less exciting.
But from what I did see of this latest tournament – a few bits and pieces of live action and plenty of highlights – it’s safe to say the women’s game has taken massive strides forward in the past few years.
I’m not going to pretend it is now on a par with the men’s game, because it isn’t. But I will say it is improving in leaps and bounds.
Successful and entertaining tournaments like this one, which the US won by thumping Japan in the final, will only serve to attract more girls into football at grass roots level. That, in turn, will give the game a bigger talent pool and improve standards across the board.
Without wanting to sound condescending in the slightest, there is still a very long way to go before watching a women’s match will generate the same levels of excitement and anticipation as the male version.
Truth be told there is a distinct possibility we may never reach that point.
But when the next tournament comes around in 2019, I will definitely be making much more of an effort to get involved.
It is reaching a stage now where not watching actually means you could be missing out on something special…
The new McEnroe
Tennis has officially got itself a new bad boy.
It feels like a hundred years ago since the last true wild man of tennis, John McEnroe, hung up his (probably broken) racket.
But now, in Australian Nick Kyrgios, we finally have a player who is not only talented but actually has a bit of personality to go with it.
As sportsmen go, tennis stars tend to be pretty bland. Most of the best players are like robots going through the motions. Athletic machines that have had a charisma bypass.
But Kyrgios is not afraid to let his emotions come to the fore while he is playing the game. He yells, he complains, he laughs, he swears, he gets involved with the crowd and he doesn’t hold back from letting umpires know when he thinks they have made a mistake.
Purists will probably say his behaviour is not befitting to such a gentlemanly sport. And maybe it isn’t.
But at Wimbledon over the past couple of weeks I think he has brightened up what has otherwise become a very predictable and sterile sport.
Levy is well grounded
Tottenham unveiled updated plans for their new football stadium last week, and I have to say that is one sexy ground Spurs fans have got coming.
The new stadium is going to be built on the site of the old one and will include a 17,000 single tier stand – the biggest in England. That should ensure it doesn’t lose any of the famous White Hart Lane atmosphere.
In an interesting twist, it will also play host to two American football games a season and, with that in mind, the grass pitch will be retractable and underneath will be an artificial pitch specifically for the NFL.
Another nice touch is that the stadium will hold 61,000 people, making it a tiny bit bigger than Arsenal’s Emirates stadium.
Spurs chairman Daniel Levy might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but the man certainly seems to have a coherent and well-thought-out master plan for the club.
He genuinely wants to take the club to the next level, and the new stadium might just be the push they need to make that step up.
Sterling should be left behind
I am not a Liverpool supporter by any stretch of the imagination, but if I were, the last thing I would want to see right now is Raheem Sterling pulling on the famous red jersey.
Last week the 20-year-old England player announced he didn’t want to go on the club’s pre-season tour as he would rather stay home and sort out his future.
It is reaching a stage now where not watching actually means you could be missing out on something special
Although that sounds typically pretentious I think it is actually the right move – for the club. In fact, if I were his manager he is the last person I would want boarding the flight to the Far East.
Firstly, you don’t need that sort of disruptive influence around the squad as you prepare for the new season. You only want players who are 100 per cent committed to the team and the cause, not those who are 100 per cent committed to themselves.
Secondly, pre-season friendlies are a chance to shape up and prepare for the 60 or so competitive matches ahead: formulate plans, discuss tactics and try out formations. What’s the point in including a player in that preparation process when there is little or no chance he will be in the squad come August 8?
In fact, if I were in Brendan Rodgers’s shoes I don’t think I would have wanted Sterling back for pre-season training at all. Why give him access to tactics? Why get him fit for his new club? Why let him anywhere near a Liverpool shirt when he clearly has no respect for it?
I never thought I would say it, but the way Sterling has gone about forcing his departure actually makes Luis Suarez look like a decent lad. At least in the Uruguayan’s case there were some redeeming factors behind his desire to move on, like his age and his long-time dream of playing in Spain.
In Sterling’s case he doesn’t particularly care where he goes as long as it is for more money and more chance of winning trophies. And, let’s face it, at 20, his biological trophy clock is ticking.
He is just a poorly advised, slightly arrogant kid who has let his own ability go to his head.
Played one, won one
I am a firm believer in the concept of quitting while you are ahead. But apparently not as firm a believer as former Chelsea player Dan Petrescu.
In June, the 47-year-old signed a three-year deal to become manager of Targu Mures, the team he used to play for in the Romanian league.
But after 27 days and just one competitive game in charge, which happened to be the Romanian Super Cup, he quit to take up a managerial job in China.
Petrescu won that cup, and with it Targu’s first ever trophy. So despite only being in charge of the team for 90 minutes he will go down in history as their most successful ever manager.
One heck of a way to achieve legendary status…
sportscolumnist@timesofmalta.com
Twitter: @maltablade