Folks,
98FM’s weekly sports show “Now That’s What I Call Sport” airs every Sunday morning from 9-10am.
Presented by myself Johnny Lyons, this week’s show broadcast on Sunday November 30th features the following guests :
- Darren O’Dea –
He’s aged just 27 but he’s more than travelled the world !
Republic of Ireland international Darren is just back from the Ukraine where he found himself in the middle of the revolution !
As a steely, teak tough centre half Darren was just perfect for the tailgunner role in the militias’ Hercules aircraft – just kiddin’ folks !
But he did have some hairy experiences during his time with Metallurg Donetsk none more so than when the team were stuck at a checkpoint as they tried to enter Crimea – then in Ukraine but now Russia (and we thought Irish history was a bit wonky)- and they were imprisoned on the team bus for four hours plus – with no toilet break – the horror the horror !
He’d be late for the odd training session due to protests – no such thing as placards here, Uzis fired into the air was their party piece !
And – when it got too dangerous to move about town - he ended up living in the club’s training ground which, to be fair, was five star territory.
After the guts of a year in the literally shellshocked city of Donetsk, O’Dea – who’d sent his family back to Glasgow – entered into negotiations with the Metallurg President.
Remarkably enough considering the reputation of these Soviet - ish oligarchs, and cothrom na feinne to the Donetsk dude, a financial settlement was agreed in Urkan just outside Kiev (as Donetsk was now a no go area) and, in an amicable parting of the ways, they agreed to cancel his contract and he was a free man.
Prior to that Darren had plied his trade in Toronto and after the following gruelling series of flights one after the other Toronto-Kansas, Kansas-Toronto, Toronto-Munich and Munich-Donetsk he went straight to his medical with Metallurg and promptly fainted !
O’Dea’s training with Celtic at the moment and in the process of clinching a deal with an English club.
It should be noted that - with Darren au fait with the militia way of doin’ things – Johnny will be in full ‘Nam combat gear in the studio!
- Anthony Daly –
We hope the second part of our exclusive interview with the Dublin hurling boss will be just as fabulously entertainingly brilliant as the first one – hah !
Well at the very least we’ll get more coverage in the papers – avid readers of the Herald will have spotted a nice review on Tuesday!
This time Dalo explains what SmartEdge is – a phrase coined by Joe Schmidt which means the cutting out of fouls etc while still retaining an aggressive edge to your play – perfect for hurling then !
Daly also praises the input of Gary Keegan – the Irish Institute of Sport honcho who’s responsible for putting into place the system which has yielded a glut of medals in Irish boxing – his advice was not to concentrate on winning something but on how you’re going to win it with consistency in performance the keypoint.
Dennis Bergkamp features strongly – the Dutch legend and Dalo have something in common!
Both believe that players must be able to think for themselves in the raging hot atmosphere in front of huge crowds and not rely on coaches tellin’ ‘em what to do every minute of the match.
Bergkamp puts the inability of modern day players to do this down to straitjacketed coaching – Daly to youths being too pampered.
Of course we had to please Michael the boss – a proud Kilkennyman as ever walked the boreens of that beautiful county (note from CEO praise will get you nowhere Johnny) – and we get suitable words of praise about the God like creature that just keeps turnin’ up and winning All Ireland gold – the indefatigable Brian Cody.
And we finish by ever so sneakily tryin’ to find out where Anthony is managing next !
- Barry Chambers –
A tragic death occurred in the world of sport this week – the passing away of Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes at the age of 25.
The opening bat was whacked on the back of the head by a bouncer – a short pitched ball bowled at blistering pace we’re talkin’ 90mphish here folks – fell to the ground unconscious, was sent into an induced coma but died subsequently.
Unfortunately, his death brought back memories of a couple of similar incidents involving guys with ties to Ireland.
Cricket Ireland’s Barry tells us about the Indian Test/Irish One Day International batsman Raman Lamba who died after being hit while fielding in Bangladesh and the current manager of Ireland the ex West Indies opening bat Phil Simmons whose heart actually stopped after being hit by the English fast bowler David “Sid” Lawrence.
Competition:
Copies of “ Manchester United The Official Season Guide 2014-15” book
Thanks,
Johnny.
