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Steven Cronin's articles
Whisper it quietly, but there are certain members within the Villa Park faithful anticipating great things under Martin O’Neill. Without wishing to tempt fate, Aston Villa’s impressive start to the season is hopefully an indication of things to come under the often eccentric Irishman. A combination of O’Neill’s eye for talent, in tandem with the vast wealth of new American owner Randy Lerner could be the catalyst for success Villa fans everywhere have been dreaming abou...
Posted: 2006-09-18
Category: Football
Steven Gerrard came within a whisker of scoring the crucial winning goal for Liverpool in this opening Champions League group stage clash. The Liverpool skipper latched onto a bouncing ball at the corner of the penalty area, unleashing a rasping volley that eluded the goalkeeper but crashed back off the inside of the far post. It was the closest the Reds got to breaking a PSV Eindhoven defensive line that held Liverpool at bay for much of the match. But it was the si...
Posted: 2006-09-18
Category: Football
Jose Mourinho these days is a man under pressure. Following two fruitless years in Europe the Chelsea boss knows it is the Champions League that club owner Roman Abramovich craves the most. Failure to deliver in this year’s competition could prove fatal for the ‘Special One’. The start of this season has seen a somewhat more humble Mourinho, gone for the moment the brash arrogance that has accompanied the man ever since his arrival fresh from guiding Porto to Champio...
Posted: 2006-09-18
Category: Football
Arsenal were forced to come from behind to earn a draw for the second home game in succession after a gritty Middlesbrough performance secured a point at the Emirates stadium. James Morrison curled a beauty past Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann following a one-two with Jason Euell to give Middlesbrough the lead against the run of play. New signing from Chelsea William Gallas was at fault for the opening goal, though too were much of the Arsenal back line. Despite Arse...
Posted: 2006-09-14
Category: Football
Steve McClaren’s one hundred percent record as boss continued as England ground out a rather uninspiring victory in Macedonia. The long legs of Peter Crouch were enough to send England home happy with all three points and top spot in Group E. Until the breakthrough early in the second half, many of the two thousand England fans present in the stadium will have watched with apprehension as the team entrusted to bring a bright new post-Eriksson era failed to break down a ...
Posted: 2006-09-12
Category: Recreation & Sports
Aston Villa’s renaissance under the guidance of Martin O’Neill continued at Villa Park as the home team put Newcastle to the sword. New owner Randy Lerner made his first appearance in the directors’ box sat next to outgoing chairman Doug Ellis. And it was smiles all round as Villa sustained their impressive start to the season against Glen Roeder’s Toon. With major transfer activity not expected until the January transfer window, O’Neill’s initial assault on the Prem...
Posted: 2006-09-12
Category: Football
Champions Chelsea bounced back to winning ways but it was a hard fought victory against a plucky Blackburn side that mirror the fighting spirit of their manager Mark Hughes. A second half Didier Drogba goal confirmed the win and helped to steady the ship after a less than convincing start to Chelsea’s season. Two defeats from their first three matches, including a last minute reverse against a Middlesbrough side struggling to find their feet under the inexperienced lead...
Posted: 2006-09-12
Category: Football
In 1788 Captain Arthur Phillip sailed his ship into Sydney Cove and one of the great cities of the world was born. Today Sydney is home to over four million Aussies who love to bathe in the glorious sunshine and surf on the open waters that break upon its wonderful beaches. Sydney Harbour is irresistible. Its famous bridge dominates the view, a magnificent feat of engineering. But for sheer elegance, the Sydney Opera House takes centre stage with its unique appearanc...
Posted: 2006-07-22
Category: Travel & Leisure
“Of course, the castle is haunted you know,” teased the waitress as she served up tea and scones. In Knaresborough everything stops for tea and scones, but only when topped with a healthy lashing of fresh cream and raspberry jam. “They say the ghosts of several family members walk the halls of Allerton Castle,” she continued in a tone that suggested she had told this story before and obviously enjoyed it. Her manner was exemplary. Her advancing years were of little c...
Posted: 2006-07-22
Category: Travel & Leisure
Located at the heart of Lake District National Park, Lake Windermere is England’s largest expanse of freshwater. It is also the perfect place to welcome in a new day during the warm summer months. It was 4:00am and my boat rocked gently below the parting night sky. The brightest stars were still faintly visible to the naked eye. The moon’s happy face was about to greet the sun and hail another beautiful day, these two celestial chums never far from one another in the...
Posted: 2006-07-22
Category: Travel & Leisure
I sat and watched from my seat in a street café on London’s Oxford Street as a young man pleaded for loose change from passers by. Most pretended to be oblivious to the young man’s plight and continued their way along one of London’s busiest and thriving shopping streets. Several minutes passed before an elegantly dressed woman took pity on the youth. Digging deep into her pockets she produced a couple of coins and offered them to the poor guy. As I sipped my coffee ...
Posted: 2006-07-18
Category: Travel & Leisure
Amid the enigma and bewilderment that enshrouds a small part of Salisbury in England’s green and pleasant land, I stood in awe to witness one of the great wonders of the world. Before me stood five thousand years of history, a mystery dating back to the ancient Druids and cultures long since lost to the passages of time. Silhouetted against the pre-dawn sky, Stonehenge stood proud in the gloom, its pillars united as one structure, forged from the hand of man five millen...
Posted: 2006-07-17
Category: Destinations
I suspect few tears were shed as head coach Sven-Goran Eriksson left his post with the England football team. Well, except maybe for big Phil Scholari who had just masterminded his third successive tournament victory against the laid-back Swede. Eriksson has had his critics during his five-year reign with England, time and again engineering some baffling decisions to confuse not only the fans but also the players themselves. England’s latest failure can be traced bac...
Posted: 2006-07-09
Category: Football
Michael Owen’s twisted knee and subsequent World Cup exit, coming only weeks after recuperating from a previous injury was not only a personal set-back, but also ultimately a fatal blow to England’s World Cup hopes. Sven-Goran Eriksson’s nonsensical squad selections for the World Cup left England not only light in the striker department, but also seriously comprised our chances of a successful tournament. With only four strikers to choose from Eriksson always knew he wa...
Posted: 2006-07-08
Category: Recreation & Sports
David Beckham has stood down as England captain following the Three Lions World Cup quarter-final defeat to Portugal. Beckham was first given the captaincy by then England caretaker boss Peter Taylor in 2000 and continued in the role under the five year management of Sven-Goran Eriksson. It was Beckham’s leadership in the final 2002 World Cup qualifying game at home to Greece at Old Trafford that will be most fondly remembered. At the peak of his talent, Beckham sing...
Posted: 2006-07-07
Category: Recreation & Sports
