Shame on you if you are one of the people who chastised David Seaman after the freak goal which sent England crashing out of the World Cup!

Not only, in my opinion, was the goal a sheer fluke but I challenge anybody to put their hand on their heart and not say that they could have kept the ball out of the net.

Talk about putting your neck on the line every time you enter the arena.

Seaman, without doubt, was England's star player of the tournament, arguably keeping them in it on several occasions. So why is it the public feel compelled to blame someone when we perhaps don't get the desired result?

Speaking from my own personal experiences there can be no lower point in life than when you lose form or when the team results are not as you would like.

As if you need it, and to definitely make things worse, it seems that every journalist or person you meet in the street wishes to remind you of your failings.

Believe me when I say that some people find it so much harder to give praise when the tables turn. And turn they do because as a wise man once said "form is temporary whether it is bad or good."

Not so long ago this whole scenario would have affected me and the poison pen of the less educated journalist and the careless remarks of those who share your disappointment would have driven me into a state of depression.

That was until I stumbled on a quote from a man who had a whole nation's interests to care for, Theodore Roosevelt.

He proclaimed: "It is not the critic that counts, nor the man who points out when the strong man stumbles or when the doer of deeds could have done better.

"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails whilst daring greatly - so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat... for those who have had to fight for it, life has truly a flavour the protected shall never know."

Stirring stuff and while it had no direct link to sport, if you have been fortunate enough to be involved in professional sport then I am sure you will be able to relate to it.

You can guarantee that at this moment David Seaman will feel lower than at any other time in his career but at least he can walk away, if indeed he does, from international football safe in the knowledge that he was there in the arena living the moment, living the dream of every man, young or old, to play for your country in the World Cup finals.

It's been relatively quiet on the cricket front, our two international fixtures were played in a very relaxed manner.

Firstly defeat against West Indies A was disappointing on two accounts, not only was it a great opportunity for some of the fringe batsmen to stake a claim but I came away from the game wondering what has happened to all those lightning quick West Indians that dominated the 80s and early 90s.

It seemed a never-ending conveyor belt of talent as one after another would break through to terrorise even the best batsmen.

Defeat against India, although not unexpected, was again a frustrating opportunity for some, that went begging.

Jamie Carpenter's dogged return of 43 was the mainstay of resistance and while we made India work hard for the runs it seemed we would always be 20 or 30 runs short.

However, had Tendulkar been given out lbw to Davis in the 20s, and there is a suggestion he should have been, we may have pulled off a famous victory.

On a final note while there are many fine batsmen in the world and some who may score more, watching the little master at work confirmed that Tendulkar is in a class of his own.

We all have our dreams. Mine? Well if only I were as good a player as him!