Newspaper Talk

I watched the Sky interview with Miles Maclagan last night and thought what a nice guy who was genuiely happy to have had the chance to coach someone with the talent of Andy Murray. This was on one of the BBC blogs as well. Then when I go to BBC tennis headlines there is an article saying tensions caused rift . Now excuse me but I didnt hear him mention anything like this. This shows what is so wrong with some journalism. Just cheap headlining crap trying to fill column inches and its no wonder that some "stars" get fed up with being misquoted or just bullshitted about in the media.

This is what Miles said:

"I think a lot of people misunderstand the role of what a tennis coach is," Maclagan says. "Andy is a very smart guy and a very good tennis player. He doesn't need to be told all the time "you hit your forehand like this, hit your backhand like this".

"In my opinion the art of good coaching is knowing when not to say anything. You might only say one or two things in a week which might be important to Andy, that's why it's important to know when not to say anything so when you do, it's effective. That's my philosophy."

After two-and-a-half years in the job, did he feel sufficiently valued?

"I think so, yes. We had a good relationship, we still have a good relationship. We're not hugging each other and high-fiving every time something good happens. I was always aware that I'd been given a very good opportunity to work with someone like him. I was grateful for that and appreciative for the chance to be a part of the things Andy was doing"

During our chat, Maclagan never comes close to having a bad word to say about his former employer. Even when asked about the verbals Murray often dishes out, Maclagan says it was nothing personal, "just a general venting of frustration".

"I had to remind myself sometimes that he's a 23-year-old and not everything is perfect," he says. "I'd like people to wonder what they, or their kids, were doing at 23 and the answer may not always be as a comfortable as they'd like to think.

"Here's a guy who is driven, works very, very hard, is not falling out of nightclubs, and not being pictured with a different girl every week. He sets a very good example in a lot of different areas."

He also spoke about being in awe when watching Murray play some of his matches especially after beating Nadal at the US Open.

Currently I am reading a book about Tennis called "Double Fault" and after watching a documentary about the Nick Bollettieri academy it really brings home the amount of hard work and sacrifices from players, family,friends and coaches that is needed to make it.

So I have been here working hard in the background but never really having enough time to put my thoughts down on a blog. I have been keeping up to date with various blogs some funny, some sad and some just outright bullshit which makes me wonder why? I am currently running about nine different systems in a portfolio which are ticking over well and looking forward to the new football season, the tennis and horse racing.

Had a nice touch with the first race today when I layed the odds on fav and also had the winner, if only everyday was as easy.

After last seasons winning bet on Birmingham + 48 in the Premier Handicap at 15/1 ,this season I have gone for West Ham + 39 at 12/1 with Stan James. With new players, and a new manager to win the handicap league they would have to finish about tenth and this should be borderline but at 12/1 worth the risk.