Sporting Letters: Few of us in the north will get kick out of Olympic football

From: Tim Mickleburgh, Boulevard Avenue, Grimsby.

On my bus the other day was an advert for the 2012 Olympics, in particular the football tournament in Manchester. It was claimed to be a “once in a lifetime event”.

But who really cares about Olympic football? It’s a lesser event, well below the likes of the Champions League so far as British interest is concerned.

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To me, promoting a non-capital venue is a mere sop to the North, from a London-centric clique who always believed that if the games came to the UK they would have to be in London.

Yet Manchester has at least as much clout on the world sporting stage as Atlanta and Barcelona, both recent host Olympic cities.

From: Paul Collins, Hallam, Sheffield.

This season may yet see Sheffield United relegated from the Championship, but at least the future looks a little brighter now that manager Micky Adams has blooded some of the promising youngsters.

The likes of Jordan Slew and David McAllister, who both scored terrific goals for the Blades on Saturday, surely have a great future ahead of them in the game and Adams must be applauded for the way in which he has introduced them in what has been a very difficult season.

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I just hope that these young players remain at the club so that they can learn their trade and also give the Blades some hope for the future.

It was not too long ago that the club had a couple of talented youngsters in Kyle Walker and Kyle Naughton and both players were sold after failing to get promoted.

These current crop of youngsters are nowhere near the same stage in development as the Kyles, of course, but if they can stay at the club for the coming two years and develop their skills, then it can only be hoped that Sheffield United will also prosper from their abilities.

Who knows, after Saturday’s win over Bristol City, it may well be that they are playing in the Championship come next season and that the greatest of all great escapes has already been plotted... we can, I suppose, only dream.

From: Colin Chettle, Huddersfield, by email

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Yet another weekend of Premier League football brings yet another slew of Premier League managers moaning about refereeing decisions.

Some of the complaints may have been made with a degree of justification, such as Ian Holloway bemoaning Blackpool not receiving a penalty or Rangers bemoaning the fact Celtic were awarded one (happily justice was served by the latter being saved).

But these cases sandwiched a welter of whingeing over incidents which, in some cases, even with the benefit of replays it was hard to know what the correct decision should have been.

What I would like to see is more managers berating their players for their shortcomings as much as they do the referees for theirs.

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I would also like to win the Lottery Jackpot – and I guess I am going to have a long wait for either event to occur – but how gladdening would it be if someone were brave enough to say they were going to fine a player for blatant cheating – be it shirt-pulling, diving, or the professional foul?

Of course, the bottom line is that winning is all important and while managers are not prepared to tolerate referees’ human frailties if they adversely affect the outcome of a match from their standpoint, they are prepared – indeed even encourage – cheating if it goes unheeded.