If the ladies semi-finals at Wimbledon were a non-event, then it is difficult to describe the men's last four clashes.
Rafa and Roger will meet in the final for the third year running after victories over Rainer Schuettler and Marat Safin respectively. Neither broke sweat, so neither are worthy of another word of this blog.
Instead let's talk about cricket. Kent marched into the final of the Friends Provident Trophy with an 83-run victory over Durham at Chester-Le-Street. Bryan Robson was born in Chester-Le-Street. In fact, it is quite a hot-bed for the over-rated, housing at it does Stephen Harmison, Liam Plunkett and Paul Collingwood. All of the aforementioned are belted around the ground at will by Robert Key and company, while Bryan Robson was so out of his depth that he failed to even show up.
Anyway, what I really want to talk about today is Harry Kewell. The Aussie treatment room regular is apparently joining Galatasaray. Nothing out of the ordinary so far. After all, he was released by Liverpool after reportedly turning down a new deal, right? Well yes, but cast your mind back to 2000 when Leeds United travelled to Istanbul to play Galatasaray in a UEFA Cup tie. Kewell was in that Leeds side, and will remember all too well that two Leeds United fans were stabbed to death in the Turkish capital. Yet he still sees fit to wear the colours of Galatasaray, much to the disgust of the text happy, Talksport-listening Leeds public.
Has Harry forgotten all about the two Leeds fans who lost their lives that day? Or is he just that insensitive? Or is he just that desperate to find a new club? Let's face it, his stock has lowered considerably during five miserable years at Anfield. As controversial as it may be (particularly to Talksport's very own pretend shock-jock Mike Parry who called it 'reprehensible'), the offer from a large European club with such a massive fan base is obviously going to be attractive to a man who might otherwise have found his career in limbo.
Nobody from Kewell's camp has yet commented on the move with regards to it's effect on the Leeds community. When they do expect them to cite moves from Liverpool to Juventus by Ian Rush, Momo Sissoko and very probably Xabi Alonso in their defence. The Reds have had a rocky relationship with the Turin giants to say the least since Heysel, yet nobody raises an eyebrow when players are transferred between the two. We're forever told that football is now a business, and it looks like Kewell's move east is just another example of the how the wheel turns in the sport these days.
A final, incredibly reluctant congratulations to Wigan. The cherry and shite edge out Leeds Rhinos 23-22 at the Jamie Jones Buchanan stadium in what Sky's Eddie and Stevo called the best 80 minutes of the season. Ignoring the hyperbole it was a great match, with Wigan holding off a late Leeds rally to snatch the points. The result means that a win for Saints at Harlequins on Saturday will take Daniel Anderson's side back to the top of the Super League table having trailed by six points only three weeks ago. So, for the first and hopefully last time ever, thanks for that Wigan.
I need a lie down.
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