SPARE a thought this week for poor David Batty, he's been carrying the can for missing England's final penalty in the World Cup, but pressure can do strange things -- even in professional sport.

I must admit though that I can't understand how professional players getting as much money as they are, can't put the ball in the back of the net from just nine yards.

They know that penalties are likely and I would have thought they should have made sure they can score from that distance every time.

However, I know David quite well and fortunately he is the type of character who won't let it get to him. Once he's back into the game he will quickly put it to the back of his mind.

HOWEVER, you do expect professional sportsmen to keep their heads, and I just can't think what Beckham was doing when he lashed out.

It was one of those stupid, silly things which would infuriate any coach.

Fortunately I wasn't as devastated at England's defeat as some people seem to have been. I'm just looking forward to getting back into action with the Cougars.

TO HAVE two weeks off after playing three games in seven days shows how daft this game can be sometimes.

Why on earth they can't work things out so that the games are reasonably evenly spaced throughout the season I just do not know.

But we have to live it, and it has given me a chance to allow the lads a fairly easy week, although have been working on speed training and on fitness testing.

It has also given us an opportunity to get a few of our injured players fit again, so not everything is bad news.

Last week's win gave us a glimmer of hoping of reaching that magical top five spot for the chance of a place in the European competition.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.