The Week That Was (14/01-21/01)

Our first destination in this week's roundup is the Barclays Premier League. Like most Premier League weekends, Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson made headlines for bemoaning the performance of an official, which as I Spurs fan I will admit he has the right to feel aggrieved, and Fernando Torres couldn't hit a barn door for Chelsea. Most of the results also went as expected, with perhaps the biggest shock coming at St James Park where hosts Newcastle became Reading's first away victims away from home. The winter of discontent deepens for the Toon Army, who now just sit two points above the drop zone. The biggest news in the Premier League this week though is the sacking of Southampton boss Nigel Adkins. Rewind three months and this wouldn't have been such a shock as the Saints were struggling for points despite their enterprising style. Since then though, their style of play has won them both points and fans leading many to question the motives behind the decision to replace Adkins with Argentine Mauricio Pochettino. The Southampton board claim the move was to help the club progress long-term, but there is every chance this ridiculous sacking could see Southampton return to the Championship come May.

In tennis, the Australian Open began and is now in its second week. The top four seeds in both the male and female draws are all still in contention, but for some its been easier than others. Two-time defending champion Novak Djokovic came through a gruelling five hour five-setter against Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka whilst second and third seeds Roger Federer and Andy Murray are yet to drop a set. In the woman's draw, the only top four seed to have dropped a set is the top seed Victoria Azarenka, but rather ominously for the other women left Maria Sharapova has only dropped five games in her four matches so far, double bageling her first two opponents. With that in mind, I believe Sharapova will go on to win the title after beating Serena Williams in the final. For the men, I really hope Andy Murray can become the first man in the Open era to win his first two Grand Slams consecutively. For me, the mark of a champion is when you win whilst not playing at your best. The Scot is yet to drop a set but is nowhere near his majestical best. Playing against tougher opponents in the second week may just be the catalyst needed for Murray to bring his best game and blow his competitors off the court.

The start of rugby's Six Nations is just under two weeks away and the big news this week is that Brian O'Driscoll has been replaced as Ireland's captain by Leinster team-mate Jamie Heaslip. Heaslip was captain for the Autumn Internationals which O'Driscoll missed but the continuation of the forward's captaincy despite the return of the talismanic centre has come as a bit of a surprise. This, for me at least, seems to signal coach Declan Kidney moving towards creating a side for the 2015 World Cup. O'Driscoll is unlikely to be there, so Kidney must be hoping the two-and-a-half years Heaslip will have had permanently in the role will help in grow into the captaincy. If this is the case, Irish fans should be very happy. The Irish squad during the previous Six Nations was ageing but there may now be a youthful vibrancy about the squad. 21-year-old Craig Gilroy played superbly on his début in the autumn and there are other talented youngsters such as Paddy Jackson and Iain Henderson who are both looking to break into the squad. For too long, I feel Kidney was afraid to experiment with youth but now he feels his job hinges on his ability to replace the old guard.