http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/ Pat Murphy, BBC Five Live correspondent and our sports columnist gives his opinion on the Premier League, Midlands football and other sports news. en-gb Birmingham Post no Pat Murphy, BBC Five Live correspondent and our sports columnist gives his opinion on the Premier League, Midlands football and other sports news. Pat Murphy, Pat Murphy Five Live, sports columnist, opinion on the Premier League, Midlands football http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/07/15/highs-make-it-all-worthwhile-65233-21343097/ Tue, 15 Jul 2008 11:27:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/07/15/highs-make-it-all-worthwhile-65233-21343097/ Pat Murphy reflects on nearly five years as a Post columnist. http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/07/07/barry-s-spin-machine-could-get-the-worst-from-rafa-s-rotation-65233-21300840/ Mon, 07 Jul 2008 21:53:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/07/07/barry-s-spin-machine-could-get-the-worst-from-rafa-s-rotation-65233-21300840/ If Gareth Barry gets his move to Liverpool, he’ll soon have an opportunity for gratitude to his new manager’s fondness for a rotation policy. http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/07/07/cricket-gets-some-proper-leadership-at-last-65233-21302307/ Mon, 07 Jul 2008 07:44:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/07/07/cricket-gets-some-proper-leadership-at-last-65233-21302307/ 'Cricket civilises people. I want everyone in Zimbabwe to play cricket. I want ours to be a nation of gentlemen’. Robert Mugabe, 1983.‘The tragic failure of leadership’. Nelson Mandela on the political situation in Zimbabwe, July 2008. http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/07/01/kiwis-have-short-memories-when-it-comes-to-dodgy-run-outs-65233-21206979/ Tue, 01 Jul 2008 08:23:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/07/01/kiwis-have-short-memories-when-it-comes-to-dodgy-run-outs-65233-21206979/ England one-day captain Paul Collingwood will have to live with his decision not to recall New Zealand’s Grant Elliott in the one-day international at the Oval last Wednesday. http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/06/30/unpleasant-racism-stain-disfiguring-spanish-face-65233-21205453/ Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:20:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/06/30/unpleasant-racism-stain-disfiguring-spanish-face-65233-21205453/ Euro 2008 was immensely satisfying for all sorts of reasons – not least the absence of England’s footballers, their air of self-delusion and their preposterous WAGS. http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/06/24/blind-eye-to-dubious-activities-of-rugger-s-lads-must-stop-what-65233-21139421/ Mon, 23 Jun 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/06/24/blind-eye-to-dubious-activities-of-rugger-s-lads-must-stop-what-65233-21139421/ It’s always been a source of annoyance in this quarter that at the bar of public opinion professional footballers are viewed as pampered oiks, awash with testerone and money, while rugby union players are judged good eggs with perfect manners underpinning their manliness. http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/06/17/baggies-seek-peace-and-stability-65233-21085679/ Mon, 16 Jun 2008 23:01:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/06/17/baggies-seek-peace-and-stability-65233-21085679/ Loyal readers will recall my scepticism last year about Jeremy Peace’s long-term commitment as chairman of West Bromwich Albion http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/06/09/reality-check-for-the-ecb-as-the-twenty20-dollar-comes-knocking-65233-21047419/ Mon, 09 Jun 2008 20:44:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/06/09/reality-check-for-the-ecb-as-the-twenty20-dollar-comes-knocking-65233-21047419/ It’s reassuring to see that the head honcho of English cricket has experienced a reality check over what the Indian Premier League has to offer. http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/06/03/indian-summer-could-spell-disaster-for-england-s-ashes-hopes-65233-21013241/ Mon, 02 Jun 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/06/03/indian-summer-could-spell-disaster-for-england-s-ashes-hopes-65233-21013241/ England cricket coach Peter Moores will be desperately hoping his players come through the Indian Premier League unscathed next year. http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/05/27/shed-no-tears-for-chelsea-65233-20978466/ Tue, 27 May 2008 07:24:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/05/27/shed-no-tears-for-chelsea-65233-20978466/ John Terry encapsulates Chelsea's disrespect for authority that permeates the club. http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/05/20/the-best-and-worst-of-the-season-65233-20936282/ Tue, 20 May 2008 08:59:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/05/20/the-best-and-worst-of-the-season-65233-20936282/ With the 2007-8 football season all but put to bed, it's time for the annual Pat Murphy Awards. http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/05/13/birmingham-city-board-must-take-blame-for-disarray-65233-20905665/ Tue, 13 May 2008 19:42:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/05/13/birmingham-city-board-must-take-blame-for-disarray-65233-20905665/ Five Live's Pat Murphy points the finger at the Birmingham City boardroom for Blues' relegation. http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/05/06/west-brom-can-silence-the-premiership-doubters-65233-20868439/ Mon, 05 May 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/05/06/west-brom-can-silence-the-premiership-doubters-65233-20868439/ Take no notice of the jeremiahs who believe that West Bromwich Albion will come straight back down again, having scooped the title in the grand manner. http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/05/06/second-tier-football-is-first-class-65233-20868469/ Mon, 05 May 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/05/06/second-tier-football-is-first-class-65233-20868469/ The Second Division has been tremendously entertaining this season and the crowds have been duly appreciative, with nine clubs averaging over 20,000 per game. http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/05/06/villa-kop-it-from-berger-s-parting-shot-65233-20868472/ Mon, 05 May 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/05/06/villa-kop-it-from-berger-s-parting-shot-65233-20868472/ When you're the manager desperately hoping you're not going to lose your best player, you don't need one of his teammates telling him to go as soon as possible. http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/04/29/questions-sir-alex-ferguson-has-ducked-65233-20836400/ Mon, 28 Apr 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/04/29/questions-sir-alex-ferguson-has-ducked-65233-20836400/ It's surely time that Sir Alex Ferguson qualified for an Arts Council grant for services to the entertainment industry. He still gets us slapping our thighs and belly-laughing, even when he suffers the cruelest quirks of fate. http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/04/22/a-massive-week-for-aston-villa-65233-20800926/ Mon, 21 Apr 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/04/22/a-massive-week-for-aston-villa-65233-20800926/ Some weeks are more important than others for a football club. http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/04/15/birmingham-city-s-reasons-to-be-cheerful-65233-20766880/ Mon, 14 Apr 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/04/15/birmingham-city-s-reasons-to-be-cheerful-65233-20766880/ Birmingham City supporters don't need any extra incentive for the trip to Aston Villa this Sunday, but they really could do with at least a point. http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/04/15/indian-money-ends-cricket-burn-out-whinges-65233-20766881/ Mon, 14 Apr 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/04/15/indian-money-ends-cricket-burn-out-whinges-65233-20766881/ Now that the brave new world of Twenty20 cricket Indian-style is promising lucrative nest-eggs for certain lucky cricketers, I notice that the issue of 'burn out' among them is no longer such a hot topic of conversation. http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/04/15/mcdonagh-proves-there-s-still-some-grace-left-in-harsh-world-65233-20766886/ Mon, 14 Apr 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/sports-columnists/pat-murphy/2008/04/15/mcdonagh-proves-there-s-still-some-grace-left-in-harsh-world-65233-20766886/ Yes, Stiliyan Petrov's goal was outstanding for Villa at Derby. And the travelling support was excellent. But I particularly enjoyed a little gesture at the final whistle.