Doubting Thomases

A couple of years ago, people doubted whether Manchester could host a successful Commonwealth Games. They were wrong.

A couple of weeks ago, people doubted whether Athens could host a successful Olympic Games. They were wrong.

Why is that people don't believe things will happen? Especially concerning, say, building a new rink for the Phoenix? Faith can move mountains (big girl, is Faith) so if the right people believe...

I just wish that sometimes the ones who don't want people to succeed, and there are some out there who would dearly love to see the Phoenix fall flat on their face, would go off and take their whinging, moaning and low-grade malignant presence away because, quite frankly, some of us have a job to do and it isn't made any easier by the presence of moaning in the background.

If you don't think something is going to happen, then walk away from it. I'm not aiming this mini-rant at those who believe, or have realistic or justified doubts, or those who are willing to hope, but reluctant to jump in. Thats OK. Manchester hockey fans have been burned once before and it is completely understandable that they are a bit reticent to come forward in case it happens again.

Personally speaking, I'm one of them. I think a new rink will happen for next season, I hope a new rink will happen for next season and I'm helping, in a very small way, to try and make it happen for next season. But perhaps sensibly, I'm not putting all my eggs in the basket, I'm too world-weary (almost typed 'cynical', but that would be completely the wrong word) to let myself get too carried away.

But those who don't want to see top-flight hockey in Greater Manchester, who won't ever, ever believe in the ideals of the Phoenix - and to a lesser extent the Elite League - not because of cynicism, or realism but because it would ebb away at their own petty empires, well they can just get lost. I'm tired of reading knocking articles, I'm tired of people gossiping and spreading rumour as fact - and I know that I'm only seeing a small part of it, the Phoenix office must get it so much worse.

I once flipped at someone - hard to imagine, I know - who was just a real whinger. Everything wasn't good enough, nothing was right, nothing was perfect. And I seem to recall receiving the comment "I don't know why I bother", so I simply turned around and shouted "Well, f***ing don't then, just **** off and leave us to it, you won't be f***ing missed."

He did, and we didn't. And you know what, we succeeded in what we wanted to do. The Phoenix will travel in Executive Coaches - not bandwagons.