It's never nice to see people in a team falling out in public, particularly when they are in a team of two. Diver Blake Alridge was quick to blame his 14 year old teammate Tom Daley for their last place finish in the Synchronised Diving Final today, saying that he had let the pre-games publicity go to his head. Aldridge also didn't like the fact that Daley had a go at him for phoning his Mum between the last two dives rather than concentrate on the job in hand.
None of this should have been made public. All it has done is to undermine team spirit. Aldridge should have kept his critical thoughts within the confines of the dressing room. You would never find Sir Alex Ferguson slagging off one of his players in public. The hairdryer treatment is reserved for behind closed doors.
It was Alridge who reacted like a petulent 14 year old. Daley kept his dignity intact.
On the plus side, what a joy it was to see the reaction of Nicole Cooke last night and Rebecca Adlington this morning. Their achievement in winning gold medals is massive and the consequences probably haven't registered yet. They deserve to enjoy their moment.
18 comments:
It all went wrong for for poor Tom Daley when met Gordon Brown prior to his departure to Bejing
Gordon Brown really does have 'The Andrex Touch" - everything he touches turns to s**t
It is obscene that a 14 year old should be competing in the Olympics.
We quite rightly stopped sending children up chimneys and down the mines over 100 years ago. It's about time we stopped requiring children to spend vast amounts of time training for Olympic sports at the expense of normal childhood activities.
Sometimes Alex Ferguson does criticise his own players. Nani (showboating) and Ronaldo (getting self sent off) got it in the neck last season. I'm sure Beckham was blasted in public more than once.
God not you as well Iain. I HATE THE OLYMPICS!!
If I hear another overpaid Beeboid screaming like a 9 year old girl at a boy band reunion I'll shoot my radio.
Wow we might win a Bronze medal in the 50 metres free style Tiddlywinks competition.
Shame we're crap at football, Rugby, Golf and Cricket.
Funniest thing was some dozy beeboid who suggested that for our openinng ceremony we have Amy Winerack do a gig!
Oh great. A drugged up drunk tattoed loser who can't sing and whines on about "ma Blakey" every 5 minutes.
On the other hand, she sums up this garbage Country very well.
Go back, read it again, leave out the media spin. different story...
Oh PLEASE Mrs Dale don't fall for the Media Hype yet again. There is no story here.
The Olympics Games is Big Biz. Has it not even occurred to you that the reason the Swimming finals are held in the Beijing morning is so that the big sponsors can have them broadcast live in the American evening?
Well I watched the men's synchronised diving this morning and was unaware of these comments until I read it here just now, but I'm afraid the clear impression I had was that young Thomas Daley was considerably the better diver of the pair.
When they were out of sync with each other it was always Daley who had the better execution, and when they were in sync (which happened on about half their dives), unsurprisingly they both made exactly the same mistakes at the same time.
Regardless, I think they did extremely well to make it into the final, whatever position they came in, and it's unsporting (not to mention unBritish) for Aldridge to make such disparaging remarks.
To graham, I'd hardly say we sent the lad to the Olympics - he wanted to go and he qualified! Who are you to say he can't live his dream?
Oh, and well done to Cooke and Adlington - both fantastic, not to mention two of the most exciting endings to events in the Olympics so far!
I've had a lot of time on my hands...
I'm looking forward to the dive bombing . . .
In the end the best girls won.
This was Aldridge's big chance.
Daley will have London 2012 to aim for, and possible one more Games after that. But he's a kid and he couldn't handle the pressure...
I'm not suprised Aldridge had a rant - Daley's been built up as our big medal hope, but he didn't have what it takes this time.
Fine if you compete individually, but a bit of a pisser for your partner in a snychro event. Aldridge must been gutted to have been paired with a schoolkid for the biggest moment of his career.
God isnt this bloody waste of time over yet???
I rather like 'Graham's' take on the matter.
I am afraid I am a bit steeped in the likes of Don Thompson practising for the Rome 1960 50km walk (and his eventual Gold Medal) in his bathroom with a steaming kettle replicating the humidity. The real ethos of amateur sport - the real Olympic spirit. All now part of a bygone, grainy black and white, world.
Is all professional now and (go ahead - call me a misery) I cannot work myself up on behalf of the cheque book chasers. I find it difficult to cheer these sporting artifacts trawled up by statist press gangs and recruiting sergeant coaches.
And if I could I would be put off once again at the sight of slimy Tessa Jowell muscling in on the credit for 'Team GB'
Team GB? get lost Tessa and all you like. thats what I have to cheer is it - state enrolled 'Team GB'. Our athletes aren't individuals any more.
Team GB? I am ashamed to confess I could not raise the slightest shred of disappointment for Andy Murray's defeat ... he at least has many more cheque book days to look forward to.
Yes I know I am indeed a misery. Maybe I prefer it when we do 'gallant' and 'plucky'. At least then we were honest.
Martin said...
"... On the other hand, she sums up this garbage Country very well."
Have you thought of emigrating?
We can do without miseries like you.
Laurence Boyce said...
I'm looking forward to the dive bombing . . .
Seen anything of Donal Blaney lately?
"Normal childhood activities" such as what graham? I don't see what he's missing out on.We're talking about a teenager here, not an infant. He trains for three hours a day, which is less time than the average person spends watching TV. Watching TV, eating junk food, playing video games, searching for porn on the internet, and hanging out in the park groping girls and dabbling with drugs and alcohol are normal activities for teenage boys in England in 2008. Training to be an elite sportsman is far better for him.
I think 14 is far to young to be at the Olympics as this event has proven.Its for men not boys.
I too have enjoyed the medal winners' achievement so far but my enjoyment was tinged by disappointment that we will now be unable to distinguish ourselves by finishing the Olympics with Nul Points.
Synchronised diving (I thought you didn't like the synchronised swimming, Iain?). Bit like the synchronised attack on a foreign countries by another notorious former Olympic host under the cover of the ludicrous opening ceremony of this deeply sinister, and dictatorship serving, spectacle. 1936, 1980, 2008: don't you realise this is all just a thoroughly unpleasant political stunt that should be ignored?
Perhaps one step forward for the London Olympics, now we are saddled with them (why? Of yes, it was a political stunt by Blair, remember?) would be to have no opening ceremony and no national teams, flags or anthems; and no heads of government etc invited. Just let people compete as individuals. For team sports, let them form their own: it should please you that West Ham could be the home team for the under 22 footie.
The real objection to a 14 year old is that he is too young to realise that by competing he is propping up a foul regime. The adults should know better.
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