Naples

Naples: lle diogel?

Rwy’n gefnogwr brwd o Chelsea, ac yn dilyn nhw’n gyson dros Ewrop

Dw i’n edrych ym mlaen i fynd i Naples yn Fis Chwefror i’r rownd nesaf o gynghrair y pencampwyr.  Dinas a stadiwm arall i fi ymweld.  Y farn gyffredinol ydy fod Naples yn le perig iawn, a bod clwb pêl droed Napoli â chefnogwyr ag enw drwg.   Dw i’n cofio Milan yn 2004 yn gwylio Cymru lle oedd ymddygiad cefnogwyr yr Eidal yn siomedig

Beth sydd wedi fy ngwylltio ydy cefnogwyr eraill ym Mhrydain yn dweud straeon dychrynllyd am y lle?   Oes, mae wir i’r straeon o gefnogwyr eraill o Ewrop yn cael eu trywanu - ond, ydy hyn yn ddigon i stopio chi fynd?

 Fy nghwestiwn i ydy, os byddai Cymru yn cael gêm bwysig yn Naples, a byddai cefnogwyr Cymru yn gwrthod mynd?  Mae’r awdurdodau yn gwybod am y problemau a dwi’n sicr bydd Chelsea yn cysylltu â nhw.  Ni fyddai yn meddwi’n wirion a chrwydro, ni fydd barn pobl eraill yn fy rhwystro fi fynd chwaith.



Naples: safe to go?

After the recent Champions league, Chelsea where drawn away to Napoli with the game to be played Tue February 21st.  Personally, it will be a new City and Stadium to visit.  Italy has some famous stadiums such as the San Siro - and Stadio S Paolo is another stadium famous for its atmosphere.

 I know that the general consensus of the Napoli fans is that they are mad, but is that enough to stop you going?   What’s irked me since the draw is fans of other clubs who haven’t been there (even when they played there themselves) commenting about the stabbings.

 So if Wales get a crucial world cup qualifier in Naples- wouldn’t they go?  I’m sure that Chelsea will be liaising with the Italians and the Foreign Office over the next month to make our trip as safe as possible. Anyway the opinion of few won’t deter me from going, although I won’t be wandering about the place drunk.  Chelsea won’t win the premiership this season and Napoli will provide a stern test over the two legs.

Tan tro nesa – until the next time

 Tommie Collins

blog2011-12

Edrych nôl a’mlaen].


Wrth i’r flwyddyn ddod i ben, mae llawer yn edrych nôl ar eu huchafbwynt o’r flwyddyn.

O ran Chelsea blwyddyn hesb iawn cawsant nhw.  O ran Cymru: nid oedd uchafbwynt - ond, a oedd y gêm yn erbyn Montenegro yng Nghaerdydd fis Fedi diwethaf  yn  drobwynt?.

Wedi treulio oriau yn teithio nôl i’r Gogledd yn ddigalon dros y misoedd, oedd hon yn siwrnai hapus dros ben.  

Yr uchafbwynt yn y byd seiclo i mi, oedd seiclo i gopa Mt Ventoux yn Ffrainc ym mis Awst.  Ac roedd gorffen cymal Stoke o’r Tour of Britain yn brofiad gwych.  

Mae gennyf gynlluniau mawr am 2012, os wnânt nhw ddigwydd mae’n rhywbeth arall.  Mae’r Dolomites yn Yr Eidal a’r Pyrenees yn Ffrainc ar y rhestr, gwledydd ac ardaloedd ffantastig i seiclo.

Mae gwylio pêl droed ym Mhrydain, wedi mynd yn ddiflas, mae ymweld â dinasoedd a stadiwms gwahanol yn Ewrop yn bleser, ac mae seiclo yn Ewrop yn fraint.

Mae’r cwrw wnes lwyddo i yfed dros y Nadolig wedi hen fynd, ac mae’r ymarfer wedi dechrau.  Rŵan mae’r gwaith caled yn dechrau.

Roeddwn wedi bwriadu sgwennu blog yn aml yn 2011 – nid oeddwn yn llwyddiannus.  Gobeithio ym 2012 mi fyddai.

To be honest I haven’t got any highlights from football in 2011, a turning point perhaps, when Wales beat Montenegro in Cardiff last September.  It made a change to travel home from S Wales in a happy mood.

 Chelsea have been nothing but inconsistent to say the least, and the signing of Torres looks like a waste of money.

 I did have a major highpoint in cycling when I eventually managed to conquer Mt Ventoux in France.   I was also pleased to finish the Stoke stage of the Tour of Britain.

 I have big plans for 2012 – the Dolomites and the Pyrenees are on the hit list, it’s like football, you get bored of the same grounds in the UK and trips abroad watching football don’t compare anymore.  It’s the same in the cycling world, Italy and France offer awesome cycling.

The training has begun, the beer has finally left my body after four days on it. The hard work starts now.

I had started and intended to blog often in 2011 - rarely do plans work out, I hope this year will be different.

FRENCH FOOTBALL




FRENCH FOOTBALL: RUBBISH

Due to being such a lucky man - to reach the dizzy heights of being married for 25 years on August the 9th; I decided to take the wife and bike on holiday

Provence was the destination: yes there’s a big mountain there called the Ventoux - which was planned for the Fri – we went on the Wed.  There was no real celebration back home; I mean was I lucky or unlucky to reach the magic 25?  We were the only couple out of both families to get there, the father in law gave us 2, and I reminded him with glee.  She wanted Dubrovnik, nah no football I thought, so Provence it was.  I had to pay £80 to take the bike and £130 for the wife. 

I asked my eldest son in July when does the French football season start, he was adamant it was the first week in August.  I’d been to Marseille -  Nimes poor team, ah Lyon, only 3 hours away, nah Chelsea might get them in the champs league, dad he shouted, St Etienne are home to Nancy, who’s she I said , no AS Nancy dumbo he shouted, cheeky git.

Now all footie fans in their 40’s have heard of St Etienne the football team and the band by the same name.  I remember Man who playing them in the 70’ in Plymouth - due to a European ban, there had been crowd trouble in France during the first leg.  Michel Platini once played for them

Anyway St Etienne it was on the Saturday night, only a 2.5 hours drive away, I tried to get tickets on the web but couldn’t, you must have a French address, anyway my usually trusting brother assured me they wouldn’t sell out!

On a day out in Orange reading L’equipe (French sports paper) yes I know looking at the pictures, I noticed an advertisement in the corner of one page: Arls Avignon - Nantes Vendredi 20.00, ah tomorrow I thought, a huge grin swept across my face, we wanted to go to Avignon, ‘what’s up’ she said – we’ll go to Avignon tomorrow I said,’ yes ok ‘she agreed, mug I thought.

Off we went lovely hot day doing the tourist bit, hey I’m sure there’s a game here tonight fancy? yes why not, 25 years she is very understanding.10 euro home fans 5 euro away easy decision, now Nantes merely 10 years ago where in the champs league - one of the best footballers ever played for them - Marcel Desailly - but they remind me of Leeds (not as dirty) a club fallen on hard times, they had around a 100 fans there, 7 hours by car or train, they liked my tattoo - ah Aston villa one shouted, no Pays de Galles I replied.   They looked at me like-what the hell are you doing here anyway. One day we will be free of France they ranted - we are Bretons, we were on the same wavelength then.



Away End



It was poor fare, one player for Avignon had glowing orange boots, I bet you he’s rubbish I said, and he was: kalou – Ngog in disguise.



Avignon are a small club -  I think in the shadow of Marseille, most of their fans wore their clothing, Nantes fans had banners and sang all the game, the game was like a conference standard – honest. 0-0, oh well there always tomorrow.



St Etienne wasn’t a nice place- it stank.  Beggars in the street, reminded me of Hull, nothing going for it. Got to the ticket office - the girl said with a wry smile no tickets: game complete, the wife looked at me, never mind 25 years - I had 25 seconds to sort this out



Spider Man



We’re from Nancy I said in a fluent welsh – French accent.   Off we went 10 euro away fans 20-30-40 euro home fans - Tommie’s tours never let you down.   The reason why the ground was full was due to one end being re-built, anyway again poor game, poor standard, great fans, infact - both set of fans were noisy.  Again the tattoo ‘ah West Ham’ ‘no Pays de Galles’, ‘ah one day Lorraine - our region will be free of France’?



St Etienne scored in the last minute: At last a goal, one point; the Nantes players the previous evening had given their shirts to the fans - the Nancy players didn’t.  Well it’s only 4 hours!, we were locked in 80’ style - cops with rifles, then taken to the compound to get the bus, I’m on holiday I pleaded , bws, bws they shouted , holiday Pays de Galles I retorted. Eventually one copper realized I wasn’t a Nancy fan.

Two games poor standard - but you can’t have everything, great fans cheap tickets.  I fancy Montpellier next.



Tommie Collins



FRENCH FOOTBALL

FRENCH FOOTBALL IS S**T

Due to being such a lucky man - to reach the dizzy heights of being married for 25 years on August the 9th; I decided to take the wife and bike on holiday

Provence was the destination: yes there’s a big mountain there called the Ventoux - which was planned for the Fri – we went on the Wed.  There was no real celebration back home; I mean was I lucky or unlucky to reach the magic 25?  We were the only couple out of both families to get there, the father in law gave us 2, and I reminded him with glee.  She wanted Dubrovnik, nah no football I thought, so Provence it was.  I had to pay £80 to take the bike and £130 for the wife. 

I asked my eldest son in July when does the French football season start, he was adamant it was the first week in August.  I’d been to Marseille -  Nimes shit team, ah Lyon, only 3 hours away, nah Chelsea might get them in the champs league, dad he shouted, St Etienne are home to Nancy, who’s she I said , no AS Nancy dumbo he shouted, cheeky git.

Now all footie fans in their 40’s have heard of St Etienne the football team and the band by the same name.  I remember Man who playing them in the 70’ in Plymouth - due to a European ban, there had been crowd trouble in France during the first leg.  Michel Platini once played for them

Anyway St Etienne it was on the Saturday night, only a 2.5 hours drive away, I tried to get tickets on the web but couldn’t, you must have a French address, anyway my usually trusting brother assured me they wouldn’t sell out!

On a day out in Orange reading L’equipe (French sports paper) yes I know looking at the pictures, I noticed an advertisement in the corner of one page: Arls Avignon - Nantes Vendredi 20.00, ah tomorrow I thought, a huge grin swept across my face, we wanted to go to Avignon, ‘what’s up’ she said – we’ll go to Avignon tomorrow I said,’ yes ok ‘she agreed, mug I thought.

Off we went lovely day hot as f**k, doing the tourist bit, hey I’m sure there’s a game here tonight fancy, yes why not, 25 years she is very understanding.10 euro home fans 5 euro away easy decision, now Nantes merely 10 years ago where in the champs league - one of the best footballer ever played for them Marcel Desailly - but they remind me of Leeds (not as dirty) a club fallen on hard times, they had around a 100 fans there, 7 hours by car or train, they liked my tattoo - ah Aston villa one shouted, no Pays de Galles I replied.   They looked at me like-what the f**k are you doing here anyway. One day we will be free of France they ranted - we are Bretons, we were on the same wavelength then.

It was poor fare, one player for Avignon had glowing orange boots, I bet you he’s shit I said, he was kalou – Ngog in disguise.

Avignon are a small club -  I think in the shadow of Marseille, most of their fans wore their clothing, Nantes fans had banners and sang all the game, the game was like a conference standard – honest. 0-0, oh well there always tomorrow.

St Etienne was a shit hole- it stank.  Beggars in the street, reminded me of Hull, nothing going for it. Got to the ticket office - the girl said with a wry smile no tickets: game complete, the wife looked at me, never mind 25 years - I had 25 seconds to sort this out

We’re from Nancy I said in a fluent welsh – French accent.   Off we went 10euro away fans 20-30-40 euro home fans - Tommie’s tours never let you down.   The reason why the ground was full was due to one end being re-built, anyway again shit game, poor standard, great fans, infact - both set of fans were noisy.  Again the tattoo ‘ah West Ham’ ‘no Pays de Galles’, ‘ah one day Lorraine - our region will be free of France’?

St Etienne scored in the last minute: At  last a goal, one point; the Nantes players the previous evening had given their shirts to the fans - the Nancy players didn’t.  Well it’s only 4 hours!, we were locked in 80’ style -  cops with rifles, then taken to the compound to get the bus, I’m on holiday I pleaded , bws, bws they shouted , holiday Pays de Galles I retorted. Eventually one copper realized I wasn’t a Nancy fan.

Two games shit standard - but you can’t have everything, great fans cheap tickets.  I fancy Montpellier next.

Tommie Collins

Mt Ventoux

MT VENTOUX: CAWR PROVENCE

Ar y 9fed o Awst 2011- mi wnes ddathlu fy mhen-blwydd priodas arian.  Doedd y wraig ddim angen parti

Roedd gan y wraig awydd fynd i Dubrovnik - ond roedd problem mynd yna a nôl.  Beth am Provence ofynnais- maen eitha’ tebyg - a gallai fynd â’r beic i seiclo Ventoux? Pam lai meddai?

Mae seiclo’n boblogaidd iawn yn Ewrop; yn enwedig yn Ffrainc, Eidal, Iseldiroedd a Gwlad Belg. Ac i rwy’n sy’n gwylio’r  Tour de France yn gyson,  mae’r enwau fel alpe d’ Huez - Col de Galiber - Col de Tourmalet a Ventoux yn eitha’ cyfarwydd i’r gynulleidfa.

I seiclo’r mynyddoedd yma, ydy uchelgais miloedd o amaturaidd fel fi fy hun.

Yn ffodus roeddwn wedi seiclo rhai o’r uchod yn 2006; o Lyn Geneva a gorffen ar gopa alpe d’ huez.

Roedd y Ventoux o dan sylw ers hynny.  Pam gofynnwch? Her yn de - Mae bron a chyrraedd fy hanner cant yn wneud i rwy’n sylweddoli, bod bywyd yn fyr, ac mae angen i ni gyflawni’n gobeithion  mor gynt â phosib.

Mae tair ffordd o seiclo Ventoux; cychwyn yn Sault, y ffordd fwyaf hir ond haws, cychwyn yn Malaucene, yr un pellter ac o Bedoin ond ddim mor serth, ac o Bedoin. Hon ydy’r ffordd clasur mae’r tour yn dilyn. 

 Mae copa Ventoux yn 22 cilometr -1902m - â graddiant o 9% ar gyfartaledd o Bedoin. Yn syml i ni o Gymru 13.6 milltir.

Roeddwn wedi hedfan i Provence; ar feic mewn bag ar yr awyren, am boen.  Mi wnaethom hedfan ar ddydd Mercher a dydd Gwener roedd diwrnod yr her fawr.

Mi  wnes seiclo o Malaucene i Bedoin dros y Col de Madeline at 500m.

Ond cynhesu’r coesau oedd hyn, felly ar ôl gwrio oll - ffwrdd a fi.  I wneud o’n anodd yn seicolegol mae carreg cilometr ar ochr y ffordd - yn dangos y graddiant bob cilometr.  Roedd y 3cm cyntaf yn hawdd, ond ar ôl troi i’r chwith ar ôl pump km mae'n gwaethygu.  Ar ôl 7cm ydy byth llai na 7%.  Mae cannoedd ar y mynydd, a cheir yn gyrru fyny a lawr.  Yn y pen mae o rŵan. Gwnes ddim edrych yn ôl o gwbl - na wnes ddim stopio pedalu  tan y copa. Fy nghyflymder fi trwy’r goedwig oedd 4.8 m.y.a. ar gyfartaledd.

Mae 'na gyfle am seibiant yn Chalet Reynard - lle mae’r graddiant yn ôl i  4-7%.  Ar un adeg - oeddwn yn meddwl bod posib - i orffen mewn llai na dwy awr.  Roeddwn yn gweithio allan yn fy mhen yr amser, ond doedd y 5c m diwethaf ddim yn ffeind i mi.

Gwnes gyrraedd y top mewn 2 awr a 18 munud, amser parchus. Y record gan y beicwyr proffesiynol ydy 55.51 gan Iban Mayo o Wlad y Basg yn 2004.

Roedd fel ffair ar y copa: beicwyr yn tynnu llunia, ac mae'r olygfa’n  syfrdanol.  Mi wnes ffonio’r wraig, a dweud bod y profiad yn wych -ac yn amlwg wnes ddioddef, pwy sydd ddim?  Mae pawb yn dioddef ar y Ventoux.  Roedd y ffordd i lawr i Malaucene yn wych - ond yn amlwg, roedd rhaid cymryd gofal.

Mae’n bosib i rwy’n seiclo’r Ventoux - gyda thipyn o ymarfer.  Ac mae gen i fwy o barch i sêr y byd seiclo rŵan, ar ôl y profiad fy hun…. Blwyddyn nesaf y Pyrenees amdani.

Tommie Collins