CHARLES GRAHAM: Here ego, here ego, here ego
Britons are, on the whole, a self-effacing bunch. Which is perhaps why we don't have quite as many sporting world-beaters as we might.
Don't get me wrong: this little island has had a decent quota of one-off winners who have put in a sterling effort but then, after reaching the summit once, have run out of motivational steam.
Our rugby union and cricket teams of recent years spring to mind.
But those who get to the top and manage to stay there are much fewer and further between. That breed seem to have an extra steeliness – as exhibited by Sebastian Coe or Steve Redgrave perhaps – or downright arrogance.
Now we don't usually like big heads round here (maybe making an exception for Brian Clough), and quite like to see them knocked down a peg or two. But there's something to be said for the attitude of the likes of Lennox Lewis, Chris Eubank, Eric "The Crafty Cockney" Bristow or Nick Faldo. All of them were winners many times over and sustained their success over a number of years. I don't think it is a coincidence that they had enormous amounts of self-confidence.
They got up a lot of people's noses but that included their rattled opposition and at least they were on our side!
Did more of our sportsmen and women have more of a swagger in those old empire days when we seemed to win everything going?
Often the talented braggart does better than the talented shrinking violet.
Which brings me to David Haye. Now here's a man who could get on your nerves quite quickly and, apparently, even his mum has promised to admonish him for being "too rude" about the man whose world title he has just claimed.
However, he does seem to possess both of those qualities I was talking about: skill and a monumental ego.
I'm not sure that he has quite proved his worth yet. After all, the lumbering Nikolai Valuev seemed more of a circus act than a really classy fighter.
But Haye has speed, a good punch and talks the talk: three attributes that didn't do Muhammad Ali any harm.
If Haye can win his next three fights then maybe Britain will have another "stayer" on its hands.
Even if it is someone that we respect rather than love.
Read Charles Graham's full column every Thursday in the Wigan Evening Post ...
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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