General MacArthur

‘THE Telegraph likes Ellen MacArthur. It likes Ellen MacArthur a lot.

Everybody loves a Dame

So much does the Telegraph admire Britain’s newest sporting heroine that it employs her to make up a large chunk of the paper’s output.

The main news sections is dominated by a front-page shot of Ellen – our Ellen – standing on her B&Q craft with a flare in each hand.

Dame Ellen, as she is soon to be known – our Dame Ellen – is then seen in action on the paper’s lead sports page. Indeed, she is all over it, her craft leading a flotilla of smaller boats as she enters Falmouth harbour.

If that were not enough, the paper also has a 10-page souvenir special in which it reproduces extracts from Ellen’s onboard diary – “I have put everything in – my heart, my soul, my flesh, my blood”.

It includes insightful gems like, “The motto for today is sleep more, suffer less” (Day 16); “huge waves rolling away as far as the eye can see” (Day 20); “my body has been pushed beyond its limits” (Day 39); “I’m struggling to push food down I’m so nervous” (Day 40); and “I found myself being hurled against the mast again and again.”

She’s a tough girl is our Ellen. As Simon Barnes writing in the Times says, Ellen is no sweet, retiring slip of a lass.

“She is as sweet and mild as vindaloo and as innocent as Tony Blair,” says he.

Given that profile, Ellen has what it takes to be a fine footballer, or, perhaps even the next manager of England’s football team.

And wouldn’t you just know it but there is the current man in the top job, Sven Goran Eriksson – our Sven, your Sven, anyone’s Sven – giving his considered opinion in the small matter of the Ashley Cole to Chelsea saga.

“As a professional footballer it must be your right to listen if some other works are available,” says loyal, decent, honest Sven.

Only, er, it is not. As a Premiership spokesman tells the Sun: “A professional footballer under contract [as Cole is contracted to Arsenal] does NOT have the right to speak to other clubs without the permission of his current employers.”

Point made.

And if the footballing man does speak out of turn the repercussions are massive.

Just look at Sven – he spoke to Chelsea and got another million quid a year added onto his wages by the pathetic and desperate FA.

Cole has been duly warned…’

Posted: 9th, February 2005 | In: Back pages Comment | TrackBack | Permalink