You don't fool us Craig
HE'S a canny guy that Craig Culkin.
HE'S a canny guy that Craig Culkin.
All this talk about how Guernsey are strong favourites to win the 97th Murati Vase final simply because they have played a 100 or so games together these past two seasons – don't you believe it. It's all mind games.
Culkin, a good and highly astute coach, will be in the away dressing room at the Track this lunchtime drumming into every one of his team that they are, man for man, better players than the opposition in that horrible all-green strip. 'We can win,' he will be saying, and he's right, they can.
Like the vast majority, I don't think they will, but not so much because we have vastly superior players. That's tosh.
The difference lies more in the mind and the big-match game experience that Guernsey, thanks to the Green Lions, now has a wealth of.
Historically, Jersey have won more Murattis – 51 to 44 – because they believed they would and they found a way to do it.
The Guernseymen would never just do anything to win, although I can think of several individual exceptions.
But across a whole XI, so often Jersey had that winning mentality, harder approach. Not now.
Kevin Graham's team will be the stronger-minded, they now know how to play the occasion, varying tactical and game situations.
Simply, they have the nous and too much for Jersey, I strongly fancy.
But to all those amateur pundits who are predicting a four- or five-goal thrashing of the Caesareans, my advice is, get real.
Another two-nil-er is my call.
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OUR Muratti manager is an impressive individual, a fine man.
I cannot imagine anyone not wanting to play in one of his teams.
He is just the type that Rovers need to make them into a force in the Priaulx League and escape that whipping-boy tag.
Graham would attract players, he would make the most of what the club has got and, in youth terms, the Port Soif club have proved they are doing something right.
As this season from wintry hell came to a conclusion, Rovers celebrated an Old Vic and Loveridge Cup double. I'm genuinely pleased for them because the blues don't have too much to crow about and I have a strong desire to see them wave goodbye to the doldrums.
I know there are people at Port Soif who desperately want to transform the club's footballing profile, but they need to realise that central to that wider image is a successful or very competitive senior first team.
This is not intended to be a slight on Karl Addis, the incumbent coach, who was thrown in at the deep end when Mac Gallienne quit, but Rovers need a Kev Graham type to take them forward. They also need a vision and plan which does not accept mediocrity.
Sadly, Graham's repositioning to the north of England is of no real use to Rovers, or any club, and as he clearly accepts, to leading the island representative side beyond one match per season.
Rovers, meanwhile, need to find a way to maximise that youthful talent and, although Graham is unable to do it, they could do themselves a favour by tapping into his knowledge, vitality and vision, by at least speaking to the man as to just how they might embark on a new future.
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MADE out of the same mould as our Muratti manager is Nic Pothas, the island's new director of cricket, who this week presided over the national team's first two matches of his tenure, both defeats.
They were predictable losses though.
I could pick an all-time Guernsey XI and that side would struggle to get the better of the highly-motivated and talented young pros from Hove.
Pothas is incredibly hard-working. He seemingly never stops and he does not waste a moment as he nudges along all those associated with the island games, players and administrators.
He's a breath of fresh air and it must be wonderful to be a young cricketer wanting to go places.
Pothas' influence is rubbing off left, right and centre.
Player-wise, there is no greater example of the Pothas effect than in the vast improvement and form of Lucas Barker, who stood up to the Sussex quicks – and they were certainly that – so impressively on Thursday.
