Pictured with the 3,000th aluminium shard is DETI Minster, Arlene Foster with representatives from the project’s funders: Alan Clarke, CEO, NITB; Roy Adair, CEO, Belfast Harbour; Pat Doherty, Chairman, Titanic Quarter Ltd and John McGrillen, Director of Development at Belfast City Council.

Titanic Belfast, Northern Ireland’s largest ever tourism project, has passed a landmark stage in its construction with the final 3,000^th piece of its external facade now installed.

The building’s eye-catching surface is made up of individual aluminium shards which have been anodised, an electrical process which changes the microscopic texture of the metal and provides it with a shimmering effect.  It’s the first time the technique has been used in Northern Ireland on this scale.

Of the 3,000 pieces used, over 2,000 are completely unique in shape and have been set in place to create a random effect that always catches the light.  Welcoming the ongoing development of Titanic Belfast, the Tourism Minister, Arlene Foster, said:

“Titanic Belfast is a striking and distinctive addition to the City skyline. The final piece of cladding being fitted marks a decisive milestone particularly as it has been so challenging to complete this work. It is a testament to the skill and professionalism of our local construction industry that such a complicated project has been completed on time.                                                                  

“With the main construction complete, work will now continue to ensure the building is finished on time for the opening in April 2012.”

All of the shards were manufactured by Carryduff-based firm, Spanwall, which worked closely with Belfast-based Todd Architects to ensure they were positioned accurately.

The Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Niall O’Donnghaile, said: “The completion of the facade brings our dream of a major Titanic tourist attraction a step closer to reality. With the MTV awards in November, the Olympic flame coming next May and Titanic Belfast opening in April, it is going to be a most exciting few months for our great city.

“The project must be catalyst for the city’s development in the same way as the City Hall over 100 years ago and the Waterfront Hall a decade ago. It must benefit all our citizens by boosting the local economy and creating jobs through tourism, and Belfast City Council is delighted to play its part in this productive partnership.”

Pat Doherty, Chairman of Titanic Quarter Ltd, added: “Titanic was one of the greatest engineering achievements of all time and the city which designed and built her deserves a suitably impressive building to celebrate that achievement.

“When the people of Belfast lined Belfast Lough in their tens of thousands to watch Titanic’s launch, it was a striking memory they never forgot.  In its unique design features, including the aluminium facade, we want Titanic Belfast to capture a sense of that excitement and pride.”

Supported by the Northern Ireland Executive, Titanic Belfast is a unique public / private partnership funded by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, Belfast City Council, Belfast Harbour and Titanic Quarter Ltd.  It is operated by Titanic Belfast Ltd and will be owned by the Titanic Foundation Ltd.

Alan Clarke, CEO of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, said: “The installation of the final piece of facade marks a significant milestone in the construction process.  The building will be the jewel in the crown of the wider Titanic Signature project which has helped deliver a new tourism offering throughout the Titanic Quarter and wider Belfast.  As we move towards the completion of this iconic building, we prepare to mark the beginning of a new time of opportunity for the tourism industry here.”

Roy Adair, CEO of Belfast Harbour, added: “Belfast Harbour’s relationship with the Titanic dates many years before her first keel section was even laid.  The Harbour was pivotal in bringing shipbuilding to Belfast and creating the infrastructure which made the construction of the Olympic Class liners possible.  We’re thrilled to be able to maintain that historical link with our support for Titanic Belfast.”

There are some striking similarities between the construction of Titanic Belfast and the Titanic. Work on the building started in spring 2009 while Titanic’s first keel section was laid in spring 1909.  Fit out of both projects began in the same month 100 years apart and Titanic Belfast will open in the centenary month of Titanic’s maiden voyage next April.

All of Titanic Belfast’s aluminium shards have been placed with the help of computer modelling to help recreate the effect of a cut diamond.  In addition to the 2,000 uniquely designed shards, no other shape is repeated more than 20 times.  Anodised aluminium never fades and apart from its dramatic look, is also highly resistant to corrosion.

For further information please visit www.titanicbelfast.com

Nigel Worthington is now a 'lame duck'

The 1986 FA Cup Final and the 1988 European Championships in Germany. Two major football events with no discernible link for nearly everyone. Everyone, that is, apart from me.

The ’86 Cup Final, of course, saw an Ian Rush-inspired Liverpool beat Merseyside rivals Everton 3-1 in the Wembley showpiece, while in Germany in ‘88 there was Ray Houghton’s headed goal which gave the Republic of Ireland a memorable victory over England and, of course, there was THAT volley from Marco Van Basten in the final.

For this young football fan (well, young at the time), however, the events were a double-barrelled massacre of my naïve fantasies about how the world of the beautiful game worked. You see, though two years apart, it was during these summers that I realised that the fate of the two football teams closest to my heart was not how I had grown to assume.

After Norman Whiteside’s winner for Manchester United in the 1985 FA Cup Final against Everton (a recurring presence in this tale), this seven-year-old United fanatic’s excitement was sky-high at the thought of an annual day in front of the TV watching United grace final after final.

In 1986, a month or so after the aforementioned FA Cup final, I cheered on Billy Bingham’s Northern Ireland as they gave their all in the sweltering Mexico heat during the 1986 World Cup Finals. OK, so they went out in the group stages, but they were there, flying the flag for Northern Ireland, mixing it in the same tournament as the great Maradona and Zico.

I’ve got this to look forward to every couple of summers, with the European Championship and World Cup finals in the calendar. Or so I thought.

Of course, it didn’t take too long for United to right the wrong of 1986 and return to Wembley for the FA Cup Final. Just four years, in fact, and they have not exactly been strangers to the trophy ever since.

Northern Ireland reaching major international tournaments? Well, that’s an altogether different, and much sadder, story altogether. Tuesday night’s embarrassing 4-1 defeat to Estonia put the final nail in the coffin of their latest bid to reach a major finals, something they have failed to do in every qualifying campaign since Mexico ’86.

Radio shows and online fans’ forums have been inundated with calls this week for Nigel Worthington to quit, or be sacked, as manager after the debacle in Tallinn. And, while one has to feel a certain amount of sympathy for Worthington due to the limited playing resources he has to call on, it’s difficult to see a better alternative if there is to be an upturn in fortunes.

A solid, no frills, defender as a player, defensive organisation is the biggest positive attribute Worthington brings to the job. Once that goes out the window, as it did so spectacularly against Estonia and five days beforehand against Serbia at Windsor Park, then it’s difficult to see how the Irish Football Association have any other option but to part ways with Worthington.

With two, now meaningless, matches left in the Euro 2012 qualifying campaign, why let a lame duck carry on treading water. Let’s clear the decks now, bring a new man in and give him these last two matches to get acclimatised to the job. That way, he will have enough time to hit the ground running for the 2014 World Cup qualifiers.

Who that new manager may be requires a separate blog altogether. Top choices such as Martin O’Neill and Brendan Rogers would not be interested at the moment. Iain Dowie’s stock in club football may just have fallen low enough, however, for him to cast an eye at the potentially vacant manager’s seat at Windsor – and his pedigree stacks up.

The answer may lie somewhat closer to home, mind you. Michael O’Neill, a popular Northern Ireland international as a player, is working miracles with Shamrock Rovers, leading the League of Ireland club into the Europa League group stages. And he is working with former Northern Ireland captain Jim Magilton as his assistant. You can almost see the ‘Dream Team’ headlines already.

And while we are talking about dreaming – here’s a thought for Northern Ireland fans to cling to in this darkest of hours. Northern Ireland’s last ever outing in the World Cup Finals was against Brazil (Big Pat’s last match and all that). And where are the next World Cup Finals taking place? You guessed it.

Let’s check those flight prices for Rio…

At the launch of Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce’s Business Pillar Series are Louise Turley, the Chamber’s Events Manager, Dominic Preston, Office Managing Partner, Grant Thornton, Enda McShane, Global CEO of Spirit Marketing Group, and Gareth Walls, Partner, A&L Goodbody.

A series of business support events aimed at helping local companies maximise their performance in key business functions was launched today by the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce.

The ‘Business Pillar Series’ will offer Northern Ireland firms masterclass training and advice in areas such as people, finance and sales and marketing. The series was launched today with a Sales and Marketing masterclass provided by Spirit Marketing Group, with a similar event focussing on People set to take place next month and a session on Managing Wealth in Family Businesses scheduled for November.

Speaking after today’s launch event, which took place at the Ramada Plaza, Shaw’s Bridge, Louise Turley, Events Manager, Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce, said:

“The Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce offers a wide range of services throughout the year to improve the effectiveness and profitability of Northern Ireland businesses – the Business Pillar Series is an example of the innovative events for the autumn diary. From sole-traders and SMEs through to multi-national corporations, all successful business operations can benefit greatly from engaging with other firms and growing a network of contacts in order to improve efficiency and enhance growth.

“We have identified people, finance and sales and marketing as key business functions required to support a successful company and these are the areas which the three masterclasses will focus on during the Business Pillar Series. Specialists in each field will deliver expert advice and training which firms can develop and adapt in order to maximise their resources and get the most out of their own business models.

“We were delighted to welcome the Spirit Marketing Group to the opening masterclass of the series today for what was a very engaging session which provided firms in attendance with ideas that will help drive sales, increase return on marketing investment and, ultimately, help their businesses make more money. We look forward to working with A&L Goodbody and Grant Thorton on forthcoming Business Pillar masterclasses.”

The next masterclass in the Business Pillar Series, on October 13^th at Radisson Blu, Gasworks, will be delivered by A&L Goodbody and will focus on People, while the series will be completed on November 1^st at the Fitzwilliam Hotel in Belfast with a session delivered by Grant Thornton about Managing Wealth in Family Business.

Today’s workshop was led by Enda McShane, Global CEO of Spirit Marketing Group, who said: “Events such as today’s provide the ideal opportunity for members of the Northern Ireland business community to network together and gain an important insight into how they can improve their business operation through an effective sales and marketing strategy.

“By referencing relevant examples at home, across Ireland and in the US, we explained how spending more money does not necessarily improve your marketing, but that it is about making sure your investment is original and provides something different to what your potential customers see every day.”

For more details about the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce’s Business Pillar Series or to sign up for one of the events, visit www.northernirelandchamber.com or call 029 9024 4113.

It's far from plain sailing for Arsenal

Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney and Edin Dzeko of Man City got all the plaudits – and rightly so. When you score three and four goals respectively in what were 8-2 and 5-1 victories over Arsenal and Spurs then you deserve all the gushing headlines that come your way.

However, when one steps back to view the overall picture, it is the list of players that didn’t start for both Manchester giants in their landslide victories at the weekend that tells the real story. The array of talent, that of the attacking variety in particular, that United and City had sitting on the bench or in the stands was the defining indication of just how wide the gap has become between the Mancunian empire and that in North London.

Looking specifically at the front six positions, the depth of talent which Sir Alex Ferguson and Roberto Mancini have amassed in their squads is frightening when compared to Arsene Wenger at Arsenal. Take United first. In the central midfield positions, Sir Alex could have called on Scotland captain Darren Fletcher, England midfielder Michael Carrick and, of course, the ageless Ryan Giggs. Multiple Premier League, not to mention Champions League, winners, all three.

In the wide positions, there is Park Ji-Sung and Antonio Valencia, two players who were integral to United’s push for a record-breaking 19^th league title and Champions League final place last season. Up front, why there was none other than last season’s Premier League joint top goalscorer, Dimitar Berbatov, Mexican hotshot Javier Hernandez and Michael Owen, England’s fourth highest goalscorer of all time.

Kicking their heels for City was a no less impressive front six. World Cup finalist Nigel De Jong and former Premier League winner Kolo Toure could no doubt ‘do a job’ for Mancini in the centre of midfield, while Adam Johnson and James Milner, two shining lights in Fabio Capello’s much-maligned England squad, were not required to play down the flanks. Up front, the embarrassment of riches continues, with Mario Balotelli and Carlos Tevez (the other top scorer in the Premier League in 2010/11) warming the bench.

That both Manchester clubs have greater financial resources than Arsenal is not in question. However, in terms of squad-building for this season in particular, Wenger must accept the majority of blame for the paucity of proven, quality players in at his disposal.  The fact that his two best players and most valuable assets – skipper Cesc Fabregas and midfield maestro Samir Nasri – were going to be sold this summer was obvious to just about every football fan in the land. There were cats strutting about North London streets who knew as much, but still Wenger spent the entire summer insisting they were going nowhere. Until, that is, the inevitable happened and they joined Barcelona and Man City respectively.

And this is where Wenger has made what could prove to be the biggest, and costliest, mistake of his 16-year reign at the Arsenal helm. Instead of getting deals for the duo done back in May, allowing himself plenty of time to spend the money on bolstering his squad, Wenger dragged his heels, played cat and mouse with the media, fans and courting clubs, meaning that the Nasri deal was  concluded with just  less than a week of the transfer window remaining.

So, in order to glean an extra four or five million pounds from these sales, Wenger was forced to begin the season with a squad severely lacking in the number of stellar players required to mount the title challenge that the Emirates faithful have craved for so long. And he and his board were forced to spend the last few days of the transfer window scrambling to bring in players to plug the gaping holes in his squad.

They got away with it by getting through their Champions League qualifying tie, but not in the Premier League. Eight points is surely far too great a deficit to claw back on the two title favourites, even at this early stage of the season.

The Premier League title has sailed. Without a major upturn in fortunes, Wenger’s job may just be about to sail into the sunset as well.

Barcelona players clamoured for Paul Scholes' United shirt

The most technically gifted footballer in the English Premier League over the last 20 years? Very, very possibly – with honourable mention going to Dennis Bergkamp and Gianfranco Zola.

One of the best three midfielders in the English Premier League during that time? Almost certainly, along with Roy Keane and Steven Gerrard.

The worst tackler the Premier League has ever seen? Without question, but we’ll return to that later.

We are talking, of course, about Paul Scholes, the Manchester United midfielder who this week announced his retirement from the game at the age of 36. He does so with a collection of honours so stellar even he, surely the most modest of the modern day footballing superstars, cannot help but be proud of.

Ten Premier League winners medals, one Champions League (which would have been two had he not been suspended for the 1999 final), three FA Cup, two Carling Cup and five Community Shield winners’ medals – not to mention 66 England caps – will ensure the grandchildren are kept interested in any stories they might coax out of him in years to come.

If that haul of honours does not verify the first two of the three assertions above, then let’s take a quick glance at the long list of top names from the world of football who have been queuing up to play tribute to the little ginger magician following his announcement this week.

The man currently deemed the best midfielder in the world, Barcelona’s Xavi, described Scholes as the best midfielder he has seen, while French maestro Zinedine Zidane described Scholes as his toughest ever opponent and the “complete midfielder”. Brazilian legend Socrates, former World Footballer of the Year Kevin Keegan and David Beckham are just a few other members of the Scholes Admiration Society.

However, perhaps the greatest compliment paid to Scholes came just before and after his final minutes as a professional player. In the aftermath of United’s Champions League final hammering at the hands of Barcelona, Scholes could be seen strutting off the Wembley pitch wearing the shirt of Barca midfielder Andres Iniesta, having been pursued by the Spaniard straight after the final whistle to swap jerseys. What Scholes did not realise at the time was that Iniesta only got to make the request after drawing lots with four of his team-mates – Lionel Messi, Xavi, Pedro and Sergio Busquets.

That’s right. In the countdown to the biggest club football match on the planet, the best player on the planet (Messi, of course) was locked in a battle with four of his team-mates for the right to ask Scholes for his jersey at the end of the game. This on the back of Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola stating instantly, when asked, that Scholes would be the Man United player he would most like to have in his team.

Even for a man who stated publicly that he finds criticism easier to accept than compliments, Scholes must have realised the significance of this.

Hampered slightly in the formative stages of his 17-year career by Sir Alex Ferguson not being able to decide if he was a deep-lying striker or a central midfielder, Scholes blossomed when he found his natural home in United’s engine room, with licence to attack, attack, attack. His midfield partnership with Roy Keane must be the best United have ever had, Keane often ‘making sure the back door was closed’ while Scholes made those well-timed forward runs that saw him score 150 goals in 676 United appearances.

In his later years, those surging runs became less frequent as he assumed a deeper role, collecting the ball off the back four and spraying long-distance passes with unerring accuracy – a talent that saw Rio Ferdinand nickname him Sat Nav.

However, as suggested at the outset, no tribute to Paul Scholes would be complete without mention of the ‘t’ word. If his passing, shooting and all-round technical ability with the ball was world-class, then his tackling was straight off the rain-drenched pitches of Salford’s Sunday League. His fourth place in the list of all-time Premier League yellow cards speaks for itself – though his reputation for being shy and retiring probably saw a few referees take more leniency with him than they should have.

Jamie Redknapp, Sky Sports’ top pundit and a former Liverpool midfielder who faced Scholes many times and has the scars to prove it, has a theory that Scholes’ tackles weren’t mistimed as most people assumed. Redknapp is convinced they were timed to perfection and it was just a sign of the nasty side to Scholes’ character.

Either way, it’s safe to say that battle in the Barca dressing room for Scholes’ shirt was not down to his tackling ability…

Will Michael Owen make the Wembley bench?

It kind of got lost in the wave of triumphalism that has carried Manchester United to a record 19^th league title and within touching distance of a fourth Champions League trophy.

The second leg of their semi-final victory over German side Schalke saw manager Sir Alex Ferguson make nine changes and play a virtual second sting. All was well that ended well, of course, with United coasting to a 4-1 win on the night and a 6-1 aggregate victory to set up Saturday’s mouth-watering final against Barcelona at Wembley.

It was but a mere footnote to the evening’s proceedings, but sitting on the bench for United was one Michael Owen. For those who may have forgotten, that’s Michael Owen, former World Footballer of the Year and the fourth highest England goalscorer of all time. The newspapers on the day of the game had led with the story that Owen would start the match, getting the opportunity to follow through with his Twitter boast that he had at least one important goal “in him” before his inevitable departure from United in the summer.

The fact that he had to settle for coming on as a substitute in the second half of a game that was already won will not have forced too many United fans to lose much sleep, so I am obviously swimming against the tide in my disappointment that Owen was not given a chance to shine. It is beyond unreasonable to think he could have forced his way into Sir Alex’s thinking for a starting place in the Champions League final, but it looks now as if he may not even make the bench for the showpiece occasion.

I, for one, hope he does. There is every possibility that United will be in need of at least one goal come the final 20 minutes at Wembley and, despite all the progress made by young Mexican Xavier Hernandez and the proven goalscoring ability of Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov, Owen would still be my predator of choice if a chance was to break in the Barca penalty area. His pace and all-round match fitness may be lost and fading respectively, but the poacher’s eye for goal and instinctive finishing ability are the last powers to leave a striker.

Apart, perhaps, from the right full-back position, the United team will probably pick itself – it is the make-up of the substitutes bench which will probably occupy Sir Alex’s mind most in terms of squad selection. This particular United fan is hoping to see Owen’s name on that subs list. Call it a hunch, call it mindless optimism, I believe the forgotten man of English football could just choose the biggest club stage off all to remind the world what all the fuss used to be about.

As far as the match itself goes, the intrigue and excitement surrounding the build-up must be as great, if not greater, than for any previous final of UEFA’s flagship trophy. Barcelona have been placed on a pedestal, with pundits galore telling anyone who cares to listen that they are the best club side ever. Now, I’m pretty sure they weren’t meaning too, but if that’s not playing into Sir Alex’s hand then I don’t know what is.

The United supremo, whose position as the greatest British manager of all time will surely be rubberstamped if his side lift the trophy, will no doubt use that to coax his team to use whatever extra drive and effort they have to overcome the odds and be crowned winners.

Either way, I hope Ferguson holds true to the attacking traditions upon which every one of his great United sides have been built and has a go at the Spanish giants. Better to stand toe-to-toe and see who comes out on top than to adopt the Mourinho spoiler tactics which evoked worldwide scorn in the semi-finals.

To Wembley…..

Barcelona's carousel did not get going

Just yards away on the touchline, Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola, usually the epitome of stylish serenity, was remonstrating dramatically with the fourth official, arms flailing as he frantically questioned another decision by the referee. On the pitch, the Barca players swarmed German ref Wolfgang Stark almost every time he blew his whistle, as niggly foul after niggly foul was ruining the flow of what had been one of the most eagerly anticipated football matches in European history.

Such was the scene as half-time approached in Wednesday night’s ‘El Clasico’ clash between Real Madrid and Barcelona in the first leg of the UEFA Champions leg semi-final at the Bernabeu Stadium. The Real Madrid players, needless to say, were behaving in exactly the same manner as the visitors – if not worse. The difference was in the body language of their manager, Jose Mourinho. As what should have been a feast of football descended into something akin to a playground scrap, the self-styled ‘Special One’ stood calmly, arms folded and doing nothing to hide that distinctive, knowing grin.

In fact, the Portuguese, who was once branded the “enemy of football” by UEFA referees, may as well have sparked up a large Cuban and uttered “I love it when a plan comes together”. Mourinho knew, unlike Arsene Wenger did, that his side could not compete with Barcelona in pure footballing terms so decided his best chance of success was to turn the match into a dog-fight, littered with as many fouls and stoppages as possible.

Fast forward half an hour or so and the image of Mourinho we saw on TV was an altogether different one. He was now, quite literally, behind bars, banished to the stands for complaining too vociferously to the fourth official after seeing his midfield enforcer, Pepe, sent off in the 61st minute. This was the moment Mourinho’s plan began to come off the rails, his side no longer able to get in the faces of the Barca players as effectively once they were a man light.

On the eve of the 2009 Champions League final, when Barcelona taught his Manchester United side a footballing lesson, Sir Alex Ferguson likened Barca’s playing style to that of a “passing carousel”. For over an hour on at the Bernabeu, the only fairground attraction the match could be compared to was a smash-up on the dodgems. Thank goodness Lionel Messi was able to seize the moment and illuminate the game with two vital goals, the second of which – a darting run past four defenders and a clinical finish – must fall into the bracket of the best this competition has ever seen.

His act of pure genius will live long in the memory, unlike most of what had gone before it in this match. And, even with another tie still to come at the Nou Camp, he has almost certainly left Mourinho and his men stranded on the Ghost Train out of the Champions League.

No, not that kind of bail out

It was like watching a 15-year-old playing against the under-11s. At that age, of course, the extra four years of physical development are hugely significant in terms of a footballer’s pace, strength and awareness. This, however, was a very different scenario – a 21-year-old Welshman playing in what was only his fourth Champions League tie against the reigning champions.

Gareth Bale’s performance for Tottenham against the might of Inter Milan in the London club’s 3-1 victory at White Hart Lane in early November was the best individual showing viewed from this armchair in the last 25 years. Quite a bold statement, but I felt at the time that I was watching something special and, looking back almost six months later, my opinion hasn’t changed.

There can be few more compelling sights in sport than watching a footballer almost single-handedly elevate his team to greatness. Roy Keane for Man United against Juventus in the 1999 Champions League semi-final springs to mind, as does Steven Gerrard’s for Liverpool against West Ham in the 2006 FA Cup final. Keane’s performance in Turin was of the central midfield enforcer variety, while Gerrard’s was, well, it was against West Ham, if you get my drift.

Bale’s offering against Inter was altogether more entertaining and eye-catching, the sort of wing play that would have any football fan in the world – bar those of Arsenal and Inter – on the edge of their seats. Almost literally, every time he got the ball, no matter how deep in his own half he might have been, Bale set off on a devastating run at the visiting defence. The execution of his play was as simple as it was effective, knocking the ball ahead of him and galloping past any defenders who dared try and stop him.

What crowned the display was his end product, so often the missing link in a winger’s game, as Bale laid two goals on a plate for strikers Crouch and Pavlyuchenko. The fact that all of this came while in direct opposition to Maicon, the Brazilian acclaimed by many to be the best right fullback in the world, makes the performance all the more exceptional. Throw in the small detail of a Bale hat-trick in the San Siro in a 4-3 defeat to the same opponents a fortnight earlier, and you get a picture of a young footballer at the top of his game.    

It was performances like these, along with many others before injury struck a few months ago, that were no doubt at the forefront of Premier League players’ minds when they voted Gareth Bale their Player of the Year at the weekend. Top-flight footballers have many flaws, but one thing they generally can’t be faulted for is recognising a fellow professional’s achievements. There were other worthy contenders for the award on the PFA shortlist, West Ham’s version of Roy Keane – Scott Parker – and Man United defender Nemanja Vidic among them. But crunching midfield tackles or defensive headers are not the moments which define a season in the mind’s eye.

It’s seeing a player pick up the ball in his own half and just start running with it, having the ambition and ability to see off any oncoming defenders and set up an easy goal for a team-mate. That’s Gareth Bale and that’s why deserves his Player of the Year gong.

Ryan Giggs: the generation man

Nowadays, of course, the Saturday afternoon viewing experience for the UK football fan has moved on considerably. Thanks to the imagination of Sky Sports’ ever-popular Soccer Saturday offering, we can sit in our own living rooms and watch Jeff Stelling watching a panel of ex-pros watching the Barclays Premier League action on their monitors and jumping up and down very excitedly every time the away team win a corner. 

It never used to be like this – certainly not in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s when this fledgling blogger was an impressionable, fledgling football fan wondering if his beloved Man United were ever going to break their league title duck. Back then, when a Saturday afternoon was the norm for a top-flight match to be played rather than the exception, Ceefax was where you visited for instant score updates (or Teletext – but they were always the poor relation in my eyes). 

It was on one such Saturday afternoon in early May 1991 when an unfamiliar name appeared as the scorer of Manchester United’s goal against local rivals City. Giggs. Giggs? Who’s he? I was used to seeing Robson, Hughes and McClair on the scoresheet, even Bruce or Irwin on occasion, but this was a new name. Must keep an eye on this boy, I thought (not for the same reasons his legion of young female admirers were, though, I hasten to add).

 Twenty years on and the eyes of the football world are still very much on Ryan Giggs, particularly on the back of his outstanding performances in central midfield across the two legs of United’s Champions League quarter-final victory over Chelsea. All three of United’s goals in their 3-1 win came from sublime assists from the 37-year-old who, along with Wayne Rooney, was the best of a good bunch as United breezed into the semi-finals and a possible Wembley final date with Barcelona or Real Madrid. 

However, it was a passage of play in the 84^th minute which caught my attention and perhaps encapsulated the attitude and desire which has kept Giggs at the top of his trade for two decades. With the clock ticking down and United as good through thanks to a two-goal advantage, Giggs made a lung-busting run from midfield beyond the Chelsea back four hoping to get on the end of a pass from Rooney. The pass never arrived, Rooney choosing instead to play the ball wide and the move broke down. Given the scoreline and the lateness of the game, most players would have trudged back into position and got on with the game. Not Giggs. Rooney copped a mouthful from the elder statesman of the Old Trafford dressing room, which no doubt included similar vocab to that which Rooney himself shouted down a camera at Upton Park. Next time Giggs makes that sort of run – and he will make it – Rooney won’t hesitate in passing to him.

The fact that Giggs is still performing at the top level for one of Europe’s top teams at the ripe old age of 37 almost beggars belief. That he is doing it as central midfielder is all the more baffling. He made his name as a pacey, skilful winger but now he is right in the middle, calling the shots, conducting Sir Alex Ferguson’s orchestra. If there is a finer example of modifying and adapting one’s game to prolong a career at the top then I’m yet to see it. 

Those who remember Saturday afternoons flicking on to Ceefax every other minute will no doubt also remember the 1979 hit song by Joy Division, ‘Love will tear us apart again’. The Old Trafford faithful have their own version of this – ‘Giggs will tear you apart again’ – and have been belting it out for the last 15 years. He will, too. And again, and again, and….

Helping to launch the event are Cool FM DJ Pete Snodden, Northern Ireland athlete Jessica Craig and Denise Shields of Titanic Quarter. For entry details, go to www.niathletics.org

As building work continues apace on Titanic Belfast, set to be Northern Ireland’s premier tourist facility, so the build-up begins to the 2011 Titanic Quarter 10K – the official warm-up race for the Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon.

This year’s race date – Sunday, April 10^th – will have the added poignancy for runners of being exactly 99 years to the day since the Titanic set sail on its maiden voyage. Those taking part will also enjoy a close-up view of the ever-expanding Titanic Quarter development on Belfast’s historic Queen’s Island.   

Sponsored by Titanic Quarter Ltd and Belfast Harbour, and organised by Athletics Northern Ireland, the event is now in its fifth year and has established itself as Northern Ireland’s premier 10K road race. This year’s run will have a new start and finish point – the public realm space at Abercorn Residential Complex (ARC) – where a family fun day will be hosted with a range of activities before, during and after the race. 

Cool FM DJ and Northern Ireland celebrity Pete Snodden will once again be running the race, on behalf of Cash for Kids, and is determined to beat his finishing time last year of 54:13. 

Denise Shields of Titanic Quarter Ltd said:

 “The Titanic Quarter 10K has been dubbed the ‘City Run with a View’ and, while that view has got better each year, the 2011 event will live up to its billing even more so than ever. The cladding process is now underway on the iconic Titanic Belfast building, due to open in April 2012, Premier Inn has opened, the new PRONI office is complete, work on the new Belfast Metropolitan College is drawing to a conclusion and the new state-of-the-art Audi showroom is open for business.

“That is not to mention the riverside apartments at ARC, the third and final stage of which was completed recently, and the public realm space which will provide a welcoming finish area for runners. Adding to the fun aspect of the day, we are pleased to welcome the Belfast Titanic Society in traditional costume plus a bouncy castle, face painters and a range of other exciting activities taking place throughout the day, so we would encourage families of participants to come along and enjoy the occasion.” 

All runners will once again receive a text message to their mobile phones once the race is over with details of their individual position, official time and category position. A LED screen will display every runner’s name, race position and time once they cross the finish line.  

Looking forward to the race, Pete Snodden said: 

“I thoroughly enjoyed the race last year and would encourage runners of all abilities to join me in taking part. Titanic Quarter is making a generous donation to my chosen charity, Cash for Kids, and if anyone else would like to make a donation please get in touch with myself or Titanic Quarter. 

“My aim is to beat my time from last year, but if I don’t at least I will have a good excuse. My wife, Julia, is due to give birth to our first child in mid-February, so I am not sure if I will be able to devote as much time to training. Hopefully they will both be able to come along and cheer me on.” 

John Glover, President of Athletics NI, said: 

“The success of this race has grown significantly each year, with 1,200 runners taking part in 2010. It’s become an integral part of the Northern Irish athletics calendar, especially as the Titanic Quarter 10K is the ideal preparation run and official warm-up race for the Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon in May. 

“The new finish line in the public realm area at ARC gives the race a new dimension this year and we look forward to once again seeing fun runners, joggers and club athletes joining elite international athletes in taking part in the race.” 

There is a total prize fund of £2,000 with each entrant receiving a special commemorative goody bag and the ever popular Junior Race for Under 15s will take place before the main event. 

Entry fees are £10 for athletic club members and £12 to unattached individual runners. Entry forms are available from Athletics NI, other athletic clubs and leisure centres. Online entry is available at www.niathletics.org, where there will also be access to a race map and details of the family fun day. The closing date for website entries is Monday 25^th March.