Sporting mea culpas

are a rare breed, so are worth cherishing when they pop up. Here's one from Aston Villa defender Curtis Davies:

"I was just awful. I didn't contribute anything.

"I've been bigging myself up, saying I'm ready and obviously I'm not. I'm not good enough to get in the team yet.

"I'm honest with myself in every performance and that was rubbish - I looked like a pub team player."

Villa lost, by the way.

It's almost as good as my all-time favourite, this pitch perfect rant from Jim Mora, former head coach of the New Orleans Saints:

"The Saints ain't good enough. We're close, and close don't mean shit. I'm tired of coming close. I'm pissed off right now. You bet your ass I am. I'm sick of coulda, woulda, shoulda, coming close, if only."

Which I still maintain inspired Beverley Knight's song.

And here's a flavour of Mora in full flow: