Wednesday 4 September 2013

Love out the Window

I was away on a week's holiday last week. The missus got a bonus and rather than tuck it away for a rainy day she blew it on the rent of an Andalusian villa. With no telly. Or internet access. As often happens in such circumstances, you find that you can manage perfectly well without the news, or the latest in an lmost psychopathic addiction to dramas about murder, and as long as you know the words
 'paella' 'cerveza' and 'gracias' you're pretty much laughing.

Spain, mind you, is a pretty solemn place these days. 25% unemployment. Not a euro to rub together, Were it not for tourists like my missus, they'd have gone under long ago.

Still, that's not going to stop Real Madrid stumping up twice the GDP of sub-Saharan Africa for Gareth Bale. Some say if you coated Ronaldo in Dulux white emulsion with a hint of pink, put a monkey mask across his chops and divided his hair at a jaunty angle, you'd have Gareth Bale. (You wouldn't).

I've yet to go into the complex relationship between Real Madrid and the Spanish government but it seems safe to say that Real operate on a different level when it comes to the mundanities of paying tax and keeping solvent. No matter how broke they seem to be, the galacticos keep coming.

I mean if this was your work-shy neighbours and the expensive furniture kept being trotted through their front yard, you'd suspect that there might at least be a cocaine factory in the cellar. There appear to be no such investigations at the Bernabeu.

You might argue that Real have flogged Higuain and Ozil to fund this, but as long as players can cost Umpty Zillion quid, people like me are going to start wondering why we bother to follow the Beautiful Game.

The transfer window has become a preposterous game of player-hawking and whoring. Managers seem unable to keep their counsel under the sheer bulk of hack's inquiries and the final day resembles nothing less than the last days of Sodom. For those of us that support a scruffy little outfit and watch our team through groans and grimaces, the sight of Europe's mightiest passing around their produce like a bunch of toffs on a wine-tasting binge makes us howl with fury.

Chelsea's purchase of Willian was the most galling intervention by the richest - a simply opportunistic act to deprive others of something, like a vegetarian buying the last pork chop because he didn't like the bloke behind him in the queue. Mourinho can now field an entire front eight of attacking midfielders (as he pretty much tried to at Man U in that tedious draw last week). Moses was the only what to look elsewhere. I'm surprised Mata didn't beg to join him.

David Moyes, unversed in wheeler-dealership on such a lucrative scale, could only manage to drag the long-handled paintbrush Fellaini up the M62. His former employers resorted to familiar tactics and just borrowed a couple of players, including everyone's favourite midfield plodder, Gareth Barry - another of those blokes at a big club who looks along the bench in the home dug-out and thinks "What the fuck am I - a football player or a scatter cushion?"

Indeed the main business during these imposed periods of transfer activity seems to involve the Citeh and Chelski (The Croesus Two) lending their bench-warmers out for a jog on someone else's park.

They'll argue of course that some of these lads need a bit of playing time and it will help their careers. Like Wilshire at Bolton a while back. Except that loanees like McEachran, Lukaku or Carroll at Spurs (who's off to join that Den of Financial Discretion at Loftus Road) will find they're still right at the back of the queue when they get back.

The loan system is simply the refuge of a club with a horribly bloated squad on horribly bloated salaries.

Not very long ago - possibly slightly longer than the blink of an eye - people, myself always very much included, were railing at Arsene Wenger to acquire some bleeding gumption and purchase someone. The return of Mattheu Flamini wasn't quite what we had in mind. The doom-laden approach of the North London derby only seemed to make this major purchase more necessary than ever.

Spurs showed with all their brand new bits of human bling on show, looking for all the world like a dolly on her first night out after radical plastic surgery. All the new parts look like they work well enough, but when you put them all together... well it just a looked a little weird.

And, do you know what, I was very thankful to discover that old Arsene, moths still safely thriving in the lining of his wallet, managed to squeal a win out of that game without recourse to any 'marquee signing'. The moths are looking for new accommodation now of course. And Arsene has rather gone the Chelsea route of buying someone to play in a position that he has covered. There again, Ozil is a cut above.

And as the window closes, there's just one more thing that gets defenestrated, and that's my love of the game. Now, more than ever, it has become a serve-serving quagmire of wealth of ego. The Premier League, UEFA, FIFA, they simply sit atop these festering compost heap yelling 'Austerity My Fucking Arse'.

Maybe, if I supported a team that rewarded my support with the occasional tin-pot or day out, I might just think that this sloshing about of tidal-waves of lucre was justified. But I fear the heart of the game has been ripped out by the grasping hands of the plutocratic gods of our age. I preferred football when Glasgow Celtic won the European Cup with a bunch of lads all born within ten miles of Celtic Park.

Nowadays such localism and community loyalty is almost a joke. Before the decade's out it's not impossible that Real Madrid will be the first club to pay €500 million for a footballer - and such is their reach the lad will probably have learned his trade on the playing fields of Mars.

Still at least in Spain they still pick Spaniards to play in their league. As we do in England. We'll have anyone, so long as they're not English. Greg Dyke described the England team as a 'tanker that needed turning round'. It's a tanker. all right. It tanks and it tanks and it tanks.

The arrival of more qualifying fixtures approaches like the tapping stick of Blind Pugh in Treasure Island. Those Englishmen that do manage to pull on a first team shirt also manage to pull a muscle or a sicky and we're left with the prospect of a really shonky eleven scrambling for points against what we'll no doubt be reminded is 'a well-organised and technically good' Moldovan side.

Like the rest of football at the moment, I can't watch. But somehow I will.







119 comments:

  1. HAHA..First. Greatest achievement of my life so far.

    On Mr. Dyke's view of the world, it seems he said that the future of English football is in doubt, but we should make the semifinals and probably win the world cup within the next 3 attempts.

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  2. I've lost faith in football years ago, but, as a Wrexham fan, living in Cardiff, what's happened to the bluebirds is bad enough, but for fans to accept it now they've reached the promised land and dismiss loyalty and history is shocking!!

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  3. one day a blog about port vale. one day...

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  4. good stuff Robbo, especially nice to see Bolton mentioned (albeit in the irrelevant matter of loanee, WilshEre, how is it that you and Gooner nation nearly always spell his name wrong?).

    Scatter cushion....chucklesome.

    Greg Dyke should stick his dick in one, he's realised that 50C is too hot to play football, wtf. And if we make the semi of Euro 20whatever, will we even show up to try and win it?

    Nice cut on Rooney's noggin, the official word is that it was a training ground collision with Phil Jones' boot but it resembles a gash that might be left by a lob wedge in my estimation, has he been near Elin Nordgren?

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  5. Andalusia....according to Tom Jones in his song about El Cordobes, the bull fighetr (Great book - I'll Dress you In Mourning - have you read it yet Blog?), is a place where good honest men grow weak while the rich grow strong, something's wrong. I vow to Spain I won't remain a boy from nowhere! Could be a new anthem for the valleys.

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  6. As a Un**ed fan, can I just say that I am rather pleased we didn't spend gazillions this window. Yes, I would have liked Ozil (especially compared to that thug Fellaini - how am I going to be able to scream at refs now that the elbow in the head was an accident?), but on the whole, I would much prefer to promote players from within than go on a spending spree. Why do people want a "marquee" signing just because .... well I don't know why actually.

    Watching the no-score-bores that were the Chelski and 'Pool games (OK, 'Pool got a lucky bounce of Sturridge's shoulder, but apart from that where was a goal going to come from?) it is clear that the 18 yard line is going to be defended like the Maginot Line this year and the only way is to go round it. We needed wingers and one of them has to be a real left-footed winger at that (not the imitation that is Ashley Young).

    We have Zaha for the right wing (and, yes, we bought him, but he was just 18 at the time), so you could say we should have broken the bank for Monkey-man, but I doubt we could have got him at any price (Madrid would just have bid more - it is not their money after all). Personally, I want to see Januzaj get the slot and then there are a couple of other interesting options from the U21s as well who could be given a go.

    I am fearful that Moyes feels he has to stamp his mark on the team with lots of new players coming in and of course there are always good players out there, but I don't like the mark of a manager being how much they spend. This is the the sad result of the manager-go-round clubs get on: new manager is expected to "make his mark" so demands lots of transfer cash when he gets the job and then fells he has got to spend it or he is a failure before the games have been played.

    Of course I'll still watch - I've been watching Un**ed since the 60's, but I would rather see players developed at Carrington than bought in just so that we can show we have got the cash to do it.

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  7. So you guys know ho wit was only a matter of time till someone did this.

    http://youtu.be/tf0dlFSOAi4

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    Replies
    1. Ha ha, love it Spits! Haven't seen a decent Downfall translation meme in a while

      Delete
  8. Robbo, I was with you until the local player bit. If each team fielded players from within ten miles of their ground, or even only from within the same nation, I'd put my money on a Spanish side for the European titles. Or maybe Belgian. Even Brazilian. But not British. If English players can't break in with their local clubs, they shouldn't be afraid to go somewhere else. I hear there are a few other English-speaking nations with football leagues about if you're not willing to learn another language. Imports can support the local community, if they stick around long enough. Localism is just a different variant of UKIP/Tea Party policy to reverse diversity.

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  9. And all this foreign players destroying English footy is bullshit.

    How many foreign players were playng in England int eh 70s? 80s?

    Fuck all.

    Take a look at German youth system and you'll find the national teams of Serbia, Poland, Croatia, Belgium, turkey, czec republic owe their very existance to the kids finding a trainee place at one of hundreds of clubs in Germany.

    Train your trainers and you'll see the product soon enough. Within one generation.

    Till then, stop bleating and enjoy the show. Just switch the sub-titles on.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As usual, I ramble and someone else says it more succinctly. Thanks, Spits.

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    2. Here to help.

      Bitte schön.

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    3. Top post. In fact, go back to the 70s and 80s we didnt even qualify for everything either.

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    4. we had the Dutch lad Muhren at Ipswich and Ardilles and Villa at Spurs. All they did was show us how to play!

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  10. Welcome back to 'civilization, Robbo.

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  11. I loved Dyke's line "I'm not being xenophobic, but..." Jackass.

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  12. Defenestrated - had to look that one up. Great blog as always Robbo. This time last year I'd fallen out of love with footie, but it managed to pull me back in. 'Just when I thought I was out,....'

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  13. Don't you just love football........

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  14. im with robbo on this one - it's an interesting debating point to equate localism with xenophobia is a massive either/or overstatement - you can act locally and think globally. the problem is in the development of english talent (i also think you can overstate what good training can do) -what they need is first team experience and the prem clubs are too lazy and too greedy to develop their own - they buy in promising talent often dog in a manager to stop their rivals and then they fester on the bench, lots of examples of this at man city and chelsea. manc. chelsea/arsenal's academy record is a disgrace considering the money spend on it. im not sure why these top clubs bother in fact, because the spend is high but its clubs like southampton, who have no chocie, who end up producing the talent through nurturing and first team experience.

    theres no end product without first team experience and at the big clubs, few opportunities are there because they buy in foreign talent. and stephen's right its partly the fault of young brits who take the money and sit on the bench in england rather than looking overseas for opportunities and experience of different playing cultures. we/they need to think globally but there's noo sign of this anywhere in our sporting or political culture. I blame UKIP for the failure of the england team.

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    Replies
    1. Do the English fans, the local english fans of the loval english clubs havy any patience to abide by the manager that gives the yougn english lad a run of the games?

      Dont think so.

      Do the english medja and the english pundits and the english bloggers give credit to a manager trying to play the youngun's instead of spending megabucks to buy talent from afar?

      Nada.

      I'd have some sympathy for the crys and whimpers but its all self inflicted so, whatever.

      Delete
    2. you're talking about prem clubs spits who exist in some kind of alternative reality to the rest of us - where the country can be bankrupt but real madrid still has access to limitless funds, where a billionaire risk millions on some handsome long haired centre forward who's had his best days (roman keeps doing that doesnt he, homoerotic or wot?)

      you're right they buy in finished products who then win everything. man utd bucked this trend for a while but their academy has dried up for the reasons you state.

      back with REAL Clubs - lower-prem/champuonship downwards, are still producing good local players and where you're wrong is the fans like to see it - it creates a bond and sense of community identity. this counts for nothing if your fan base is international or milton keynes of course.

      the question is why arent these talented lads making it to the very top. there's an argument that there's a cultural shift - x-box generation etc. but from my experience this isnt true theres lots of kids willing to give everything to live out the dream.

      then there's the argument that training isnt as good in the uk. while theres fewer good coaches here than anywhere else, thats changing and in any case doesnt affect the elite who are identified from the ages of 5-12. Very few kids enter academies after the age of 12 - the talent has been hoovered up.the training for these elite kids is as good as anywhere. i've seen it. ive seen the talent. good as anywhere.

      THEN it goes wrong. the super-clubs buy them and hoard them, stick them in a long queue behind finished article spanish superstars who burnished their weapons in combat with valencia and the like and arrested development sets in for the talented lad from scunthorpe. he hasnt got a chance.

      we have 6 super clubs who do this now. every other country only has 2 = more space for development. many more loanees these days maybe thats a way forward.

      thats my theory and im sticking with it. please dont bother me with facts because im not interested.

      Delete
    3. Blogs, you're right, localism as xenophobia is definitely an oversimplification. But so is calling Everton's formation a 3-4-3. Not that anyone would, of course.

      Hoarding 5-12 y/o boys? The jokes write themselves. Which is fortunate, because I'm not witty enough to write them.

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    4. Do we need a law to stop parents entering the 5-12 y.o s in to academies fo big clubs? THe bigger and richer clubs cant really force them to be there can they?

      You have your Johsnon from Boro to MCFC some years ag, the English Robben/RiberY/Messi. Where is he now? Why couldnt he and his club just stay put, play every week? His own fault he's a nobody now after runing 2 of the most critical years in his development.

      How many minutes a year does Jack Rodwell play for MCFC? Why couldnt he stay put at Everton and play every week?

      These are just two recent example from the top of my head, there are very many. If its not a priority for a player to play every week, he aint gonna play every week. As simple as that.

      And then you have Mesut Özil. Mesut Fucking Özil who'd rather paly for Arsenal than warm Real Madrid's bench and potentially be crowned La Liga and CHampions League winner by May next year.

      Delete
  15. Robbo if your disillusioned about the beautiful game try being a Cov City fan as well. At least Boro play in the town off their name.

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    1. Poor old Cov... a once mighty club... and I mean just the once, torn down for what? Tsk.

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    2. Believe it or not,there was once a football league team called Middlesbrough Ironopolis.
      Also, everyone has gone overboard over Robbo's comment on "local" players. I think his point was that any sense of local pride or community has long since been replaced by legions of overpaid foreign mercenaries (ADER-BUY-me-for-£100k-per-week-OR-else)

      Spider

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  16. Dyke is basically McNumpty. Some points are agreeable yet obvious (England won't win the World Cup in 2014; one PL side is more likely to win a given match though it might end in a draw), others points are less sane (youth development solutions and overload of foreign talent; whether journalism should involve meaningful insights), they source their information from similar places (journalists), and they are in no way actually qualified for their jobs.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23969106

    I also enjoyed Dyke's quote, "I've no doubt we'll come up with some things that have no chance of being implemented. I think we'll come up with others that could easily be implemented." Note he doesn't claim that any of them will work.

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  17. Fantasy Champions League is up:

    http://en.uclfantasy.uefa.com (or something akin to it)
    League ID: 77137-474903

    Europa League to follow when open.

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  18. That's true trot but how fucking dare they. It's our game. It's like inventing a gun only to have someone shoot you through the head with it.

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    Replies
    1. we'll have to blame Bobby Robson then, he started it!

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  19. and the gun shot through the head, well, that's the Chinese and Italians fault....

    Historians typically recognize Chinese fire lances, which were invented in the 10th century, as the first guns. These bamboo or metal tubes projected flames and shrapnel at their targets. Cannons appeared in Italy around 1320, where they were modified as European nations waged many wars. By the 16th century, European firearms had become far more advanced -- and far more deadly -- than their counterparts in the East.

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  20. Wow..that was some awesome tennis by Wawrinka. Did not have a single break point against him the entire match. Murray unfortunate to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

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  21. Er isn't the whole football thing a giant 'ponzi' scheme. Where people spend lots of money they don't have in the belief they will get more later? Homophobic jokes about most premier$hit players being a bit ponzi aside - it has to collapse and when it does I suspect it will be the poor fans who suffer as many a small club goes out of business. The future is Tesco United where we we all think we are getting the real deal only to find out later it was all horse $hit.

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  22. Maybe it would be best for all concerned if the top six Harlem globe trotter super clubs fucked off into their own euro league and left the rest of us alone in our financial reality based normality.

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  23. Hola.

    Returned from Menorca.

    Weather hot,sea warm,fish fresh,beer cold.Lovely.

    As far as Greg Dyke's point is concerned,a couple of personal observations.

    I suspect that he doesn't mean the very top foreign players coming over here,as how much will say Wilshere learn from Ozil.The point is it has become the cheaper option to buy a cheaper,ready made foreign player than take a young English player from the lower leagues and develop him.

    Bale and Walcott came from Southampton at young ages and eventually became top class players,but they seem to be the exception rather than the rule.Transfer fees for English players are also to blame.Carroll isn't a bad player,but £35 million?

    As far as I'm concerned,the main problem is coaching in this country and the bizarre desire of fans to see players run around a lot.Berbatov/Tevez are good examples.When they were at Un**ed,most of the Buxton based fans (it's only 30 miles away.Makes them as close as you can get I suppose) preferred Tevez.Why?Because he runs around a lot.Berbatov doesn't but has far more technical ability.It doesn't matter if players can trap a ball further than I can kick it,but as long as they run around a lot they're seen as ok.Hence stupid phrases like "putting in a good shift"

    Coaching is key.Getting hold of kids at 7/8 and encouraging them to work on their technical ability,not hoof it forward to the biggest boy up front to muscle his way in.

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    Replies
    1. Menorca? here I come! Karramba!

      Good example of what youre saying jacks is my boy's experience in the col u. academy. last year they were playing against arsenal, spurs norwich etc. and competing well against other teams that want to play football, keep it on the deck, pass and move etc. ie leaning a lot.

      this year they failed the EPPP audit and are back playing shit teams like stevenage, dagenham and redbridge who have bearded 10 year olds bigger than me, who hoof the ball like its been fired from a cannon and generally kick the shit out of col u's skillful, relatively lightweight (ie normal sized), tippy tappy teams.

      no prizes for guessing which team wins. no prizes for concluding that english football loses.

      Delete
  24. Watched the NFL season kick off this afternoon (Aussie time). Can't believe the Patriots released Wes Welker. Anyhow, come on the Redskins! Am I still allowed to call them that?

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    Replies
    1. with Peyton Manning throwing a bit shorter these days what better place than Denver for WW? What a rout that was, I'm thinking Peyton's neck injury isn't an issue.

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    2. I haven't watched NFL since the Joe Montana days.

      Marriage may have something to do with that.

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    3. Mine,obviously.

      Back-bone of a limp lettuce *sighs*

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  25. What a fantastic football story.

    http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2013/sep/05/harry-redknapp-played-fan-west-ham?CMP=twt_gu

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    Replies
    1. Good stuff.

      As kids, my brother and I always used to bring our boots to Highbury....

      You know, just in case. :)

      Delete
  26. Afternoon all.

    Real madrid, Barca and the other two socio's in Spain are now under heavy scrutiny and the legalities of how they are run are being brought into question. I wouldn't be surprised if their exemt status will soon be revoked.

    As for the rest of the Spanish clubs, well that is just one big mess, there's hardly a financialy healthy one among them, the whole league is like a house of cards built on a razors edge, it's only going to take a slight breeze to bring the whole lot crashing down, it's actualy quite scary how precarious it all is, if it does come down, then who's going to be there to bale them out? The goverment? Hell no, the Dutch and German tax payers have had enough as it is.

    The only solution will probably be to let it crash and start all over again afresh, a path that the F.A should maybe look into concerning football at grass roots levels. I feel we've been here before, a Groundhog day in which absolutly nothing is learned and Bill Murray will never got to bonk that Andy mcDowell geezer but is doomed to die in more increasingly painful ways.

    We all know what Einstein said about insanity, yet the F.A continue to trudge on regardles, state paid hooray henries who seem unable or unwilling to change a frigging thing, while the media cry out for change, yet burn like heratics at the stake of public opinion any who dare to go against the grain, calling for young players to be given a chance, only to chastise the manager for fielding an unexperienced team, it's selfperpuated unrelenting madness.

    That's not to mention the overhyping and pressure of expectation heaped on young players, young lads that did a fancy flick or scorred a goal or two are suddenly involved in multimillion quid transfers, in a market were price is nowhere near equal to value, but in the eyes of the media a player who just cost 20millplus must be pretty decent, right? Wrong. You only have to look at almost all of Man Citehs British purchaces to shoot that arguenent out of the sky or the 55mill plus that L'pool spunked on two home grown lads.

    It's amazing that on the same day that England play a pretty important WC qualifier against the mighty Moldavia, with our qualification hopes already in the balance and a pretty decemated squad, the story that seems to be dominating a few of the back pages are about England players holding hands in their hotel with their partners, wow, I mean wow.

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  27. Afternoon all, buenas tardes El Jacko

    on subject of tonights match - a very unpatriotic bet of England 2 - 2 Moldova
    is 80-1, I have put a whole pound on it


    (I am most definitely with Mrs Robbo on the wise use of her bonus, put it by for rainy day indeed)

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    Replies
    1. Buenas tardes Senora.

      ¿Cómo estás?

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    2. Muy bien, gracias

      (that is probably the some of my O'level SPanish, it has been a good few years)

      Delete
    3. Unlike my sister who was in France recently and very proudly said

      Je voudrais être une crème glacée

      before realising she had said She would like to BE an ice-cream as opposed to have one - the shopkeeper gave her a very odd look

      Delete
    4. I'll just see if you can do another phrase.

      Una vino blanco senora?

      Delete
    5. Si, una botella por favor

      Delete
    6. pero, por supuesto,




      I just had to Google translate that bit :)

      Delete
  28. Go Tesco!

    Good luck with your bet Bells, don't forget your friends when you strike it rich.

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    Replies
    1. I won't forget you Trotts, I'll at least send you a postcard :)

      Delete
    2. Spitits, yes that's the stuff, I was starting to get miffed at all that poxy wine talk.

      Delete
    3. Spitits sounds like a condition that I'd suffer from.

      induced by loads of Weissbier and a faux German accent.

      Delete
    4. Heh, no it's a condition I suffer from called can'ttypeforshititis

      Delete
  29. Now then Bells. Stop backing up the Mrs! I once left a French petrol station saying 'Merci beaucoup' in my best French and then adding 'Aujour d'hui!' It's the sort of cheap laugh that Del Boy Trotter would be forced into saying.

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    Replies
    1. I'll happily switch allegiances over to your (much) wiser savings plan for a photo of Mourhino on here - who said I was shallow :)

      Anyway nearly home/wine time for me - have a good weekend everyone

      Delete
  30. Just to add to the consensual tone here of alienated bewildered disappointment at the state of modern football killed by too much money....this on motd (which used to excite me like Jessica Alba in cellophane pyjamas when I was a kid but now has all the appeal of Nora Barry's tights...)

    http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2013/sep/06/alan-hansen-match-of-the-day-horrible

    I started reading it cheering inwardly the exit of that fucking tedious thunderbird puppet who's been droning out the same fake insights for years, but ended thinking, savage and m. Owen are no improvement and why should I care anyway as I record motd and then ff the Tits in shirts bits.

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    Replies
    1. A complete revamp of that program needed I'm afraid, Hansen was the most sensible pundit on there, that's how bad it is.

      Delete
    2. Can't believe he'd been on there for 22 years. Makes me feel a lot older than I am. I think he's become the lightning rod for abuse directed at the programme for becoming a bit shit. It's a shame, as he's the least offensive of the turds that grace that sofa these days. Whether it's Lawro lying almost horizontal in his Ralph Lauren shirts, Shearer doing a brilliant impersonation of a shite pundit, Keown taking himself ridiculously seriously, or whoever else they drag in from their inbred gene pool of punditry.

      And it's all been shown up for how bad it is by G Nev over in his Murdoch-funded Tardis of tactics. Gary fucking Neville.

      BBC. What the fuck happened?

      Delete
    3. Lawro should change sports and go into boxing, preferably to be used as David Hayes personal punchbag - he is the most smug smarmy unfunny tosser on MOTD.

      Delete
  31. Happy to see a goal and 2 assists for Lambert.

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    Replies
    1. yeah but it's a shame that Bells has lost a quid.

      Delete
    2. That was a real bummer, but please do feel free to consult me on any tips on the result of tomorrow nights match

      Delete
    3. That was a real bummer, but please do feel free to consult me on any tips on the result of tomorrow nights match

      Delete
    4. is there an echo in here?

      Delete
    5. yes, it's pink echo since TommyB came back.

      Delete
  32. Here's a thought re: MOTD.

    Suggestion 1. Just show the games,no analysis,then the league tables,then good night.

    Suggestion 2. Hire football journalists to do the analysis.They won't be afraid of upsetting their former colleagues and may show a little more insight.

    The only flaw in that is the BBC's obsession with The Grauniad and Henry Winter.Both of whom are shite.

    There are a few sportsmen that have crossed the line to make decent commentators ,Aggers,Ian Chappell,Brian Moore,Michael Atherton,but they tend to have more than one brain cell.

    That dozy twat Savage is on the BBC website telling all that Un**ed have already lost the league.After 3 games.Clown.

    Anyway,if it makes H feel any better I'll have a pint of something brewed in Burton-Upon-Trent followed by something distilled in Scotland.

    Cheers.

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    Replies
    1. tennis is on so I'm reminded that McEnroe should be on the list and yes. I'm serious.

      Jimmy Greaves was great entertainment too.

      The age of politically correct broadcasting wouldn't allow a microphone in front of Jimmy Greaves and many of the modern players that could do a good job won't get the chance because they'll tell it straight, that's not what's needed these days and it's crap as a result. Better to watch with a foreign language commentary and analysis.

      Delete
    2. Another good cricketer turned commentator would be former Aussie captain Richie Benaud. But you're right, football pundits are generally sh1te, because they try to avoid actually having a controversial opinion on anything. I reckon this is a BBC issue rather than a pundit issue (watch the creepy David Bond to see what I mean). Savage is actually quite good on 6-0-6.


      Jedi

      Delete
  33. And when you think it can't get any worse..... The Football League show
    Bisq

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It can, and it is ESPN.

      Delete
    2. It did, and it was Fox Sports.

      Delete
    3. Graeme Le Saux on NBC is not half bad. Major improvement on Fox.

      Delete
  34. Its brilliant, is what it is.

    http://youtu.be/vZ9myHhpS9s

    ReplyDelete
  35. The winning formuli for MoTD is easy:

    1) Start the program with some clever tips by a baldy sports journo explaining the finer intricacies of the beautiful game.

    2) After 15 mins the wags will have left the living room.

    3) Then show all the goals presented by a lovely buxom lass in a bikini who says nowt.

    Can it get any better - consider gauntlet thrown?

    ReplyDelete
  36. the BBC, staffed as it is by round- faced Oxbridge cunts, just don't understand football.

    My advice is stick to the cricket and tennis and give motd to the chavs over at itv - lee Dixon and the unpleasant Roy Keane (if he'd gone into politics he would have been an ideal Syrian dictator) are always worth listening to. Ditto Adrian Chiles whose gooD for a laugh .... I mean Gary Lineker nice bloke and all that but all the personality of a wet rag and it looks like we're stuck with him for the next 1000 years on motd.

    Where's Roland rat when you need him?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Probably working in some capacity at Chelsea.

      Delete
    2. Chelski wouldn't employ rats.

      Rats are far too nice.


      Jedi

      Delete
    3. Well, now that Keano's no longer running Iran I suppose he could go to the neighbours. He'd love the effigies.

      Delete
  37. OOOooooooooooooo :)

    ReplyDelete
  38. Bit dystopian this week, Robbo. Are you maudlin after your trip to the Alpujarras?

    ReplyDelete
  39. Gordon Taylor does not have a gambling problem, according to his deputy at the Professional Footballers' Association.
    It has been alleged that PFA chief executive Taylor ran up a personal debt to a bookmaker of more than £100,000.

    I'll take 7/4 that we haven't heard the last of this.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Gareth Bale will not start Wales' World Cup qualifier against Serbia on Tuesday because of a groin strain, manager Chris Coleman has said.
    --=

    Does anyone actually believe this?

    No, didn't think so - just like he's been "injured" all summer and was "injured" for the Olympics.

    Coleman's a wet lettuce - the Serbs will be thinking games won before kick-off and they'll be absolutely correct

    ReplyDelete
  41. Blatter admits awarding World Cup to Qatar might have been a mistake? hahahahahahahahahahahahaha no shit.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, he should of got a lot bigger envelope.

      Delete
    2. there was nothing wrong with that vote to give the wc to qatar - they won it fair and square with 105% of the vote

      Delete
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    ReplyDelete
  43. That's the spirit it is good team spirit of any sports game.

    ReplyDelete
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