The Holy Grail

‘MIDDLESBROUGH rejoice!

About as menacing as a Bic Safety Razor

There must have been much singing and dancing on the streets of Teesside last night as the side that that has never won a major piece of silverware in over 100 years of trying edged towards the final of the Carling Cup.

Hurrah!

There are no pictures of fans prancing in fountains and such like, but the Times does have a nice shot of the Brazilian Juninho firing the goal that gave his side 1-0 win over Arsenal at Highbury.

Of course, this is two-leg affair, and Middlesbrough have plenty to fear in the return fixture should the Gunners field a team that features players of the ilk of Quincy Owusu-Abeyie and Jerome Thomas in attack.

But the Sun hears Arsene Wenger say that he will stick with youth for that fixture – so let the dancing begin!

Not that the Mail is bothering too much with the Carling Cup, preferring to tell us about England cricketers’ decision to boycott Zimbabwe.

Michael Vaughan’s team have decided not to tour the African country next winter, a move, we are told, based on a moral objection to the plight of the Zimbabwe peoples.

Before you talk of the rights and wrongs of mixing politics with sport (and Mike Gatting contemplates a return to the crease), the Mail reminds us that the two are often inextricably linked.

We are also reminded how the last time England were set to play in Zimbabwe – in last year’s World Cup – they made a complete mess of it and only pulled out at the last minute.

We can only hope that former footballer Neil ‘Razor’ Ruddock does not pull out of his own tour to an inhospitable place and does indeed stay in Australia to appear on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!

Indeed, we hope he likes it so much that he chooses to remain there, living as some kind of jungle guru, prattling on about how hard he once was, while fashioning razor blades from old bits of snake and nail.’

Posted: 21st, January 2004 | In: Back pages Comment | TrackBack | Permalink