Source: Daily_Mail
Patrick Collins: Beauty or the Beast? I know I would rather see Lionel Messi than Rory Delap
The throw came sailing in on the wind, dipping into the heart of the area. The goalkeeper, heavily pressurised by huge attackers, flapped feebly at the ball, while his fellow defenders were overwhelmed by the muscular intensity of the assault.[LNB]Amid the chaos and confusion, a 6ft 5in striker prodded the ball in from a couple of yards. And the Britannia Stadium erupted in triumph. [LNB]Ugly: Stoke City's long throws aren't to everyone's footballing taste[LNB]The commentators did their best to reflect the Stoke celebrations, but their hearts weren't in it. 'They all count ... it doesn't have to be pretty ... they don't give you points for style.'[LNB]All true, of course, but you could hear the doubt in their voices. [LNB]Is this really what we want from our football; with ball boys producing towels to wipe the ball and Rory Delap taking the best part of 30 seconds to wind himself up, and a beautiful game reduced to a hopeful heave at the heads of hulking athletes? Is there really no alternative?[LNB]The answer was supplied a few days later by a genuinely great player. Xavi Hernandez plays for Barcelona and Spain.[LNB]Now, he is blessed with extraordinary touch and vision, and he plays with that air of insatiable curiosity which distinguishes the best of the breed. [LNB]In both his teams, he is surrounded by some of the world's most remarkable footballers but Xavi sets a tone, a style. And he believes in that style with the zeal of an evangelist. [LNB]He speaks of his ceaseless search for space, his desire to win with a flourish, his faith in the Barcelona Way: 'The first thing they teach you is: think. Think, think, think. Quickly. Lift your head up, move, see, think. Look before you get the ball. If you're getting this pass, look to see if that guy is free.'[LNB]He finds fulfilment in the way they attack their task: 'Other teams win and they're happy, but it's not the same. The identity is lacking. The result is an impostor in football.' [LNB] Ceaseless search for space: Xavi Hernandez (left) says he only enjoys winning with a flourish[LNB]He defines his philosophy thus: 'You pressure, you want possession, you want to attack. Some teams can't or don't pass the ball. What are you playing for? What's the point? That's not football. Combine, pass, play.[LNB] More from Patrick Collins... Roman Abramovich must learn when to keep his wad in his pocket05/02/11 Patrick Collins: Trite, arrogant and offensive... what a way to go29/01/11 Patrick Collins: We must not sacrifice our dreams for the great god football22/01/11 Patrick Collins: How lucky England are to be led by sensible Strauss08/01/11 Patrick Collins: Even now, KP cannot resist picking at an old scab01/01/11 Patrick Collins: From the fall of Wayne Rooney... to the rise of Graeme McDowell25/12/10 Patrick Collins: Hughton still a Toon hero, not Batman and Robin upstairs11/12/10 Patrick Collins: No wonder Ricky Ponting's feeling all shook up11/12/10 VIEW FULL ARCHIVE That's football. For me, at least.' Such economy of words, such wealth of meaning. I have rarely heard the fundamental values of the game so brilliantly articulated. [LNB]And when you watch Xavi and his colleagues, Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and the others, you know beyond a shadow ofdoubt that they're right. If the game is worth playing, then it's worthtrying to play it their way. Of course, that view is not unanimously held. [LNB]Only a few weeks have passed since the famously progressive broadcaster Andy Gray observed: 'I don't know if Barcelona have ever gone to a place like the Britannia Stadium and suffered the kind of onslaught from Tony Pulis's team of long throws and free-kicks, or been up to a place like Blackburn and been beaten up by their long ball into the box. I don't know how they'd cope with it on a regular basis.' Foreign, you see. They don't like it up 'em.[LNB]Actually, I imagine Barcelona would cope quite well, because they'd scarcely allow our brave lads a touch of the ball. [LNB]They would present problems which Stoke and Blackburn are ill-equipped to solve. The fact is, we set our sights too low. We look at the likes of Barcelona and decide that it's not the way for us. There's too much work, too much risk, too much 'thinking'. [LNB]We don't want footballers to be capable of thought; instead, we prize large, obedient lumps who will chase and hustle and batter with the best.[LNB]We want 'passion' and 'commitment' and all those virtues which require sweat rather than imagination. We look for men who are prepared to run through brick walls. The Spaniards prize players with the wit to run around them.[LNB]And they are setting the standard, they are demonstrating the level to which we should aspire. In years to come, we shall be speaking of Barcelona in the reverential tone we reserve for the magicians of Brazil, the heyday of Real Madrid and those blissful years when Johan Cruyff's Holland were in their pomp. [LNB] The beautiful game: Lionel Messi (centre) and his fellow Barcelona magicians celebrate another masterful goal[LNB]On Wednesday evening Barcelona come to London to meet the English side who most faithfully espouse their philosophy. Arsenal and Barcelona could easily offer us a classic. [LNB]Certainly both sides will seek to enthral and inform a public whose palate has become jaded with the clenched fist, show 'em yer studs, fraudulent machismo of sections of our overblown Premier League. [LNB]I doubt we shall see a long throw all evening. But with luck, we shall witness something wonderful. Because there is an alternative. And Barcelona have discovered it.[LNB]Sport must place ideals before profit Olympian stature: Pickering[LNB]As West Ham celebrate their acquisition of the London Olympic Stadium, we remember an extraordinary man.[LNB]Ron Pickering died 20 years ago today. Ron fulfilled many important roles: he was a gifted commentator, an athletics coach of Olympian stature and a decent dreamerwho understood that sport was about something more than profit and loss.[LNB]In particular, he cherished the Olympic ideal, the notion that sport can be a force for good in a materialistic world. [LNB]I'm not sure how Ron would have reacted to the news that West Ham had won the race to occupy the Olympic Stadium after the Games. [LNB]With relief, certainly, that the crass attempt of Tottenham to demolish the place had been mercifully frustrated. [LNB]But with concern that the entire debate had been a series of shabby exchanges, involving sight-lines and the creature comforts of season-ticket holders. [LNB]As an Eastender himself, Pickering knew that sport was worth more than that. I offer just one quotation: 'Sport is the only human institution that is based on idealism,' he said. [LNB] 'It has survived 33 centuries because of that. If it were simply competition it wouldn't have lasted 33 weeks. Anything that is not based on ethics cannot be called sport.'[LNB] Exalted stuff, ill-suited to the current climate. The only thing going for it is that it happens to be true.[LNB]Trevor Bailey, a special but reluctant heroThe years melted away as Trevor Bailey told his story. He was back in 1953 and England were about to win the Ashes for the first time since the Bodyline tour 20 years earlier. [LNB] Sorely missed: Bailey reaches 50 not out during the third day of the final Ashes test at The Oval in 1953[LNB]Honoured: Test Match Special commentator Trevor Bailey after receiving his CBE for services to cricket[LNB]Bailey had played a crucial part in the '53 series and now he was ready for the final act. So he left his home in Westcliff-on-Sea and took the 8.30 train to Fenchurch Street. He thenwalked to the Northern Line for the Tube to The Oval for the last day. [LNB]'I arrived just before 10.30 Len [Hutton] liked us to be there an hour before the start and hoped I wouldn't be needed. I'm very glad to say I was not. Compo and Bill Edrich saw us through by eight wickets. The Australians took it terriblywell.' I interrupted his tale. [LNB]Here was a central figure in a mesmerising series travelling in each morning to take on the Australians. Didn't the public press him for autographs and opinions? [LNB]'Oh no, old boy,' he said, surprised Ishould ask. [LNB]'I wore a business suit and carried acopy of the Daily Telegraph. [LNB]So, of course, nobody bothered me.' I recall his smile as he padded across the room to pour his guest a drink, his head full of memories. [LNB]Trevor Bailey died last week at home in Westcliff. He never thought of himself as anyone special. But he was wrong.[LNB]P.S.The former FA chairman Lord Triesman took a scalpel to the reputation of 'Sir' Dave Richards at a Select Committee hearing last week. [LNB]Later, when the insults had been explained to him, the Premier League chairman was affronted. [LNB]'I speak my mind,' he said, 'and being a Yorkshireman I might not be as eloquent as some, but I say it as I see it.' [LNB]Sadly tongue-tied, the Yorkies: Alan Bennett, Roy Hattersley, William Hague, all those gobby Bronte sisters. No, try again, our Dave. And this time, try harder.[LNB] Birmingham City 1 Stoke City 0: Zigic's late winner gives Potters the Blues Rooney hails sensational scissor kick 'the best goal of my career'Spurs boss Redknapp to go on trial for tax evasion with MandaricNo escape, Roy! West Brom go back for manager HodgsonSTOKE CITY
