Super-rich men with big egos don’t take to losing very well. And Ratcliffe, the minority owner of fallen football giants Manchester United, has got two almighty messes on his hands.
He’s also failed pretty much in Formula One and cycling forays, and his rugby venture with New Zealand is hardly producing obvious dividends.
WINNER (kind of): Daniel Hillier
The Kiwi golfer didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, after being pipped for a career-boosting victory in Dubai by the outstanding Englishman Tyrell Hatton.
But Hillier no doubt had a fun week, working out what to do with his $1.8 million winnings. And he does have a significant victory on his CV already, the 2023 British Masters.
WINNER/LOSER: Chris Wood
The consensus among Nottingham Forest fans is that they have been proved wrong about the Kiwi striker, whose stack of goals have pushed the underdog club towards the top of the English Premier League.
Wood’s signing from Newcastle was initially seen as an underwhelming move.
The 33-year-old is hardly the most glamorous of strikers, but he is highly effective, and a flood of goals this season has resulted in a two-year contract extension for the All Whites veteran.
Wood, and Forest, have been brought back to Earth with a thud though; thrashed 5-0 by fellow over-achievers Bournemouth in a big blow to their credibility and aspirations.
Unfancied Bournemouth are on a great run of their own and their American owner Bill Foley will also be delighted with his investment in Auckland FC, who are enjoying a stunning debut season in the A-League.
WINNER: These stoppage-time specialists
Auckland FC produced another vital late goal, this time a last-gasp winner from substitute Neyder Moreno, to beat Western Sydney and return to the top of the A-League again. They thoroughly deserved the latest win, largely outplaying the Wanderers in Sydney.
LOSERS: Tennis inaction over screamers
The Australian Open women’s tennis final was a great watch and a tough listen.
The screaming from world number one Aryna Sabalenka that accompanies every shot she plays, including serves, is ridiculous.
As is well accepted (I think), it is also a form of (perhaps inadvertent) cheating that puts opponents off.
It made American Madison Keys’ surprise victory in the Aussie final all the sweeter, as did the obvious pain of Sabalenka’s defeat.
Sometimes described as grunting, it is way louder than that. Tennis should have done something about the deliberate screamers a long time ago.
WINNER: This rugby news story idea ...
In the absence of any decent rugby stories with the season almost upon us, I’ll promote this idea.
It would be great if someone would break the cone of silence around the alleged indiscretion that saw All Blacks prop Ethan de Groot benched for a test during the northern tour last year.
There are of course rumours of what he is supposed to have done and if they are on the mark the offence is so minor – and even defendable – that it would call into question the team management more than the player.
LOSER/WINNER: Mea Motu/respect
The amazing Kiwi boxer was outclassed by England’s Ellie Scotney in the super-bantamweight unification bout in Nottingham. Scotney was quicker, and landed a lot more punches. The genuine respect the two boxers showed for each other was inspiring.
WINNER: Alice Robinson
Had kind of forgotten about the Kiwi ski ace. The 23-year-old won a giant slalom in Italy, her first World Cup victory in four years. Next Stop: February’s world championships in Austria.
WINNER: American sports stars
The rich and famous may be able to rest a little easier, after the arrest of four Chileans in connection with a burglary at the home of Bengals NFL quarterback Joe Burrow.
Other sports star burglary victims have included Kansas City Chiefs superstars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.
A Californian district attorney is raising the alarm over organised crime rings from Chile, saying “these criminals aren’t coming to the United States to visit Disneyland”.
WINNER: Putting and driving
A college basketball fan named Travis Weber drained a 30-metre putt during a break in a game at Nebraska to win a Porsche SUV. The Putt for a Porsche promotion has been run for four years, without anyone nailing the court-length putt before.
“It’s not exactly a flat surface ... it’s probably a lot of luck,” said Weber, who quit playing golf a year ago because of injury.
“I really thought I was going to embarrass myself.”
