The 'Nice Guy' Quarter Final draws near

We are now only 24 hours away from the second Team Picker Cup Quarter Final between Billy Collins and James Pugh, in what will surely be an interesting encounter to see who will be the second player to reach the semi finals.

Tally ho old chap, I say - one should keep it in their pants! 

In what is being dubbed as the 'Nice Guy' Quarter Final due to the gentlemanly nature of both opponents, both Collins and Pugh have been true to form in their pre match interviews with much respect for one another. Both have also given very little away regarding their chosen strategy or tactics for the game.

In a bizarre twist of fate however there were reports earlier today that Pugh's email account had been hacked. Police are currently looking into the matter and so far have ruled out any link to his opponent Collins. Unconfirmed reports stated that Collins was 'desperate for tactical information'. Collins has since released a statement vehemently denying any involvement with the hacking.

The media has been particularly interested in the goalkeeping element to the competition as for the first time a proven keeper, Collins, will be in contention. It is not a hidden fact that players are keen to have a good goalkeeper on their team to ensure reliability and stability between the sticks, but for Collins the problem of acquiring a keeper isn't relevant. This factor is certainly not lost on Pugh, who has drawn attention to it. It also means that Collins does have a slight advantage especially on the picking front.

Pugh stated: "Never easy when one pickers a natural goaly, it's going to be hard". He also went on to give an indication that he'll be looking for dedicated players and not those who will bury their head in the sand. "I'll be working my ass off to try and overcome this, and hopefully I'll have a bunch that'll join me in the challenge."

I just can't see why the odds are so high...

Collins has been made slight favourite by the bookies and pundits suggest it will be a tight affair. However the mood in the Bridgend Valleys, where Pugh is currently residing, is certainly optimistic. One punter from Nantymoel said: "I reckon Jimmy Pugh will see it through! Ha ha, that rhymed!". Meanwhile in Cardiff, amidst the Olympic fever hitting the capital, a flurry of bets have gone down on Collins to reach the semi finals. Although we believe from the people we spoke to that they were confused - they were convinced he was one of the Team GB Olympic cyclists as they saw him riding around on his fancy bicycle. And who could blame them!