Mick Jagger, The Rolling Stones, Harry Redknapp and Other Wrinklies

The Rolling Stones

The first thing to say is, I wish I'd been there. What am I talking about? The Rolling Stones concert at the O2 Arena. The music of Mick Jagger and his beat combo has been a subliminal backdrop to people of my generation since our birth in the sixties. As we've grown up through each decade, the one constant has been the music of The Rolling Stones; always there, frequently changing to meet the tastes of a new generation, but somehow remaining the same. The only contemporary band that may emulate their longevity is U2, but Bono and the boys have a way to go before they reach the dizzy heights of 50 years in show business.

Reality check, though. If your septuagenarian grandfather was to ask you if you'd like to come to a concert put on by him and his elderly friends, you'd think he was nuts. But, when you think of Keith Richards on stage strumming to Undercover of the Night, Charlie Watts beating out a rhythm on the drums and Ronnie Wood looking like his face has been carved out of a gnarled tree trunk, age has no meaning and you appreciate the music for what it is.

Harry Redknapp

Harry Redknapp has the look of someone who is in a constant state of  somnambulism, his hooded eyes giving him the appearance of a person who is ready to drop off to sleep at the slightest invitation. Rather than hold down a managerial position as have the likes of Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger, Harry seems to be a journeyman, taking his coaching skills and knowledge to whichever football club offers the right terms and conditions, and try and get them some form of glory, whether that be keeping the club up or vying for some form of silverware. He will have his work cut out with Queens Park Rangers, though and it will be interesting to see how he can succeed where Mark Hughes failed.

Other Wrinklies

The above two stories serve to illustrate that some things can be better the more they mature. The Rolling Stones may be aged, but their music endures and the quality of their live act is appreciated by their fans 50 years after they took their first step along the road to stardom. Love them or hate them, Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger and Harry Redknapp must have what it takes to allow them to ply their trade in the top level of English Football for decades. Perhaps we all need to take a look around us and appreciate the "Wrinklies" in our midst rather than dismiss them as the elderly. If we're lucky, we all hope to live to be active wrinklies ourselves one day.

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