08 February 2008

Cities best suited for Premiership Clubs WAATPS

There's a fantastically lollerific piece from Who Ate All the Pies on the 20 cities for Premiership Matches. A Definite must read.

A few examples of the ones that made us chuckle.

Manchester United - Calais
Closer than Old Trafford for most United fans.
Sunderland - Dublin
Everything else about the club is Irish, including the chairman and manger, so the home ground might as well be.
Wigan - Las Vegas
Titus Bramble's Travelling Slapstick Show would be the hottest ticket in town.

07 February 2008

English Premiership Clubs to play games abroad??

The 20 Premier League clubs are reported to have agreed in principle to a radical plan that would see each team playing an extra match a season abroad.



Under the proposal, cities such as Hong Kong, New York, Los Angeles, Singapore, Sydney, Johannesburg, Dubai and Beijing would stage matches between two Premier League sides.

--SkySports
As excited as I am about the prospect of getting a match in the US, I can not help but think this is just one more nail in the coffin of English Football. Tom Hicks has said that he's bought Liverpool because of the tremendous television and internet deals involved. This is for marketing and money and that can only be a bad thing. Are they going to start Bye Weeks as well? Some of those cities above are horrible distance from England.

Jesus this is such a Bad Thing (tm)

Manchester United insists the world must share in their tragedy

Manchester United have confirmed the minute's silence will go ahead at the Manchester derby despite the jeers that were heard at Wembley. The news comes after Wednesday night's minute silence at England's friendly clash with Switzerland was cut short by 20 seconds after disrespectful fans whistled and jeered towards the end of the tribute
-- TeamTalk

I agree that it is disrespectful to boo and jeer during the moments silence. BUT WHEN YOU KNOW IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN ISN'T IT DISRESPECTFUL TO GO ALONG WITH THE PLANS. It just serves to further the Manchester United Pity Party. As I said yesterday, I am no fan of shared tragedy. If it didn't effect you there is no need to fucking commerate it. But Manchester United are setting themselves up to be "Poor Manchester United, we're so picked on because we're the best, those beastly City supporters can't even respect what animals". Nothing pisses me off more than that bullshit.

Truly respectful for those who died at Munich would be to stop trolling it out to put you all in the spotlight again. How much additional positive press has United gotten over the past 4 weeks? Don't tell me it's not marketing just because they're not selling the shirts.

Truly respectful would be to not let booing idiots ruin the moment of silence by having a moment of applause instead.

Truly respectful would not be using this as another reason to get into the fucking spotlight.

AND THAT'S finally all I have to say about it. I avoided it for a month but now you have it.

06 February 2008

RIP Mathew Upson's Beard

*moment of silence*

Olaf Melberg is the only one left, and he's going to Juve this summer.

I vote for Crouch to grow one next.

05 February 2008

Cut rate striker for half the price!

Apparently Manchester City was able to sign Benjani not for the 7mil they agreed to for 3.87mil. I'm not quite sure how or why this happened despite the window closing before everything was completed but good on city for turning a potential disaster panic buy into something less costly.


But seriously, unless you're interested in Munich, Benjani, or Africa Cup of Nations this week has been BORING. Roll on tomorrow when we can all bemoan how shit England is.

I don't do shared tragedy

so you'll forgive my lack of Munich Tribute. God forbid I do not perpetuate the bullshit. The whole thing does more to disgrace what happened than it does to commemorate it

04 February 2008

Jimmy Bullard

Long time readers (well Chris O) will know that I have nothing but love for one James Bullard. He's quality on the field and off.

Was glad to see that he scored an injury time winner against Villa for Fulham today. Have been looking for a youtube clip but can't find it.

In lieu of that, here's a video of the legend himself in dirty laundry with someone's jock strap on his head.. I do hope it was his.



01 February 2008

Typical City

This Benjani deal is just typical fucking City it's not even funny.


That said, I'm not sure if City really wants Benjani, and if this isn't a panic buy. He's hit a good run of form but he's not the quality striker in my opinion that City want. He's certainly not worth 9m.

Feel bad for Redders though, he's now got two overpriced strikers!

31 January 2008

KK 6/1 for the sack!


Keegan now third favourite for chop behind Coppell and Benitez
LATEST BETTING; Next Premiership Manager To Leave

Rafa Benitez 2/1
Steve Coppell 5/1
Kevin Keegan 6/1
Gareth Southgate 6/1
Roy Hodgson 8/1
Gary Megson 12/1
Alex McLeish 14/1
Harry Redknapp 14/1
Steve Bruce 16/1
Roy Keane 20/1
Paul Jewell 25/1
Alan Curbishley 25/1
Mark Hughes 33/1
Martin O'Neill 40/1
Avram Grant 40/1
David Moyes 50/1
Sven Goran Eriksson 66/1
Juande Ramos 66/1
Alex Ferguson 66/1
Arsene Wenger 100/1


I'm not used to a City Manager being such high odds to be fired.

OH JUST SHUT UP!

“If I could apologise and go back and change history I would do. But the goal is still a goal, Argentina became world champions and I was the best player in the world. I cannot change history, all I can do is move on.” – Diego Maradona on the “hand of God” goal.

30 January 2008

West Ham 1 - 0 Liverpool

Jamie Carragher is a thug. How many times has he gotten away with dirty tricks in the box and not conceded a penalty? While it is heartbreaking to drop to 7th place in such a fashion, it's a well deserved win for the Hammers who just outplayed Liverpool all night.

I reckon though that Liverpool will probably still finish 4th because Everton really don't have the depth and Villa and City will "fall apart" at the end of the season. City is already starting (a draw away to Derby?? jesus).

Watch this space for some more indepth posts on a couple of topics screaming to get out of my head tomorrow.

29 January 2008

What is an outside agent? Or Outside Agents not about Willie McKay


ESPNsoccernet - England - Roberts: Balloon or Baffoon?
Let me make it clear, as a neutral I fully enjoyed Sheffield United's giant-killing act as I called the game on ESPN, but at the risk of being considered officious: rules are rules! The big blue book clearly states that if the ball touches an 'outside agent' while in play, the referee must immediately stop play and re-start the game with a dropped ball where the contact was made.

Tough luck if the FA Cup Final last minute winner strikes a dog on the goal line on its way to the back of the net, the ref has to disallow the goal and award a dropped ball on the edge of the 6 yard box, though I'd not like to have to call that one.

FIFA qualify an 'outside agent' in the 2007/08 Laws of the Game publication as, 'Anyone not indicated on the team list as a player, substitute or team official.' Match officials, corner flags and goal posts are also thrown into the list of exclusions, but no mention of balloons.


Just wanted to quote this because other than the above I haven't seen any mention of the fact that it was more than an amusing goal, but a dubious one.

Man City have written the FA about the fact that the balloons haven't been cleared off the pitch by the referee, but shouldn't they have written the fact that the goal should have been disallowed as well? Does anyone know why that wasn't mentioned as well?

Quotes of the Week

One of the funniest Quotes of the Week roundup in a long time. And not just because it's got Coronation Street Trash talking.

28 January 2008

FA Cup Draw

Despite the fact that the FA Cup is for all intents and purposes over here is the 5th Round Draw


Bristol Rovers v Southampton
Cardiff City v Wolves
Sheffield United v Middlesbrough
Liverpool v Barnsley
Manchester United v Arsenal
Preston v Portsmouth
Coventry City v West Brom
Chelsea v Huddersfield Town

The round where the premiership catches up. There will be at the very least 3 non Premiership teams in the quarterfinals which doesn't seem as crazy as 10 non premiership teams in the octofinals. So the draw goes the FA's way then, because who the HELL wants to see Cardiff and Soton at Wembley, Or another Championship side (or league one I guess is still possible) representing England in the UEFA Cup?

They've even got that exciting match of Utd v Arsenal so that people will actually still pay attention past the 4th Round! Hopefully that will be more exciting than the FA Cup Final in 2005.

It's just like watching Brazil



I wonder if Barry Hatch is getting death threats today.

27 January 2008

Youtube Clip Soccer Saturday's Coverage of Havant & Waterlooville taking the lead twice against Liverpool



haha I'm going to watch it again

from 101greatgoals.com

25 January 2008

Let's all laugh at Pascal Chimbonda

“Kevin Keegan has approached me and they’ve offered me more money. I am definitely leaving Spurs. It’s all about the money. I don’t care about the final, I don’t care about the cup.” - Pascal Chimbonda.


Big words. Hilarious words.

And yet... today Willie McKay (our favorite Football Agent--much like the clap is our favorite STI) says:

"There's no hiding the fact that Pascal is frustrated because the club are looking at new full-backs to replace him.

"However, he wouldn't disrespect Tottenham or his team-mates by saying he doesn't care about the club.

"Pascal cares about Spurs, he cares about his team-mates, he cares about his football and he cares about his career.

"Even if he does move on, Spurs will always have a place in his heart as will the fans.

"Anyone who thinks differently only has to look at his celebrations on the pitch after the win over Arsenal on Tuesday night and that proves everything."


So basically, Willie McKay had him shoot his mouth off and didn't expect Spurs to be upset.

Also, does anyone really rate Chimbonda as a player? I certainly don't.

Liverpool Rundown

I'm facinated with Liverpool lately. Especially how they can have 2 decent players and still be considered a Big 4 club. I know that I'm not alone because of the stories in my fantastic google reader feeds this morning, the Lion Share's were about Liverpool. So here's a rundown of some things:

20 Handy Facts About Havant & Waterlooville Well not really Liverpool but the most exciting thing in a positive light to be happening at Anfield this weekend . Of course this game is not being shown in the US and I will hope it's on a sopcast site of some sort.

Reds 'complete' finance deal For the Liverpool faithful I hope that this part of some deal where The American Owners (tm) can still sell the club off to DIC and walk away with profit for not putting any money out at all. They really are poison.

Hobbs agrees to Iron Switch . Jack Hobbs showed some flashes of brilliance this season when standing in for Liverpool's constantly injured backline. I hope that this loan deal saves Scunthorpe from the drop into League One and gets Hobbs some first team play before going back to Liverpool next year. Maybe then they'll realise hoping for Agger to be fit is like bailing out a yacht with a thimble.

More footie lulz: Sven-Goran & his harem


Mystery of Sven-Goran Eriksson and the Italian faith healer | European Football - Times Online
Sven-Göran Eriksson has been linked to an Italian faith healer, exorcist and “practitioner of white magic”. On Tuesday, the self-described “Baroness” Clara Romano was placed under house arrest by police in the Italian port city of Ancona. She faces accusations of fraud and tax evasion.


Everyone in Italy gets done for tax evasion-especially related to Serie-A Football. This story is that he probably saw her when he was at Lazio and this woman had a check from SGE that she didn't cash so she could keep it as a souvenir.

I guess we can all be happy that this scandal has nothing to do with SGE not being able to keep it in his pants...hopefully, because that woman sounds scary.

24 January 2008

More LULZ from Football

I have to admit I find English Football and the English Football press to be one of the most hilarious things since the beginning of time. From the use of not-so-direct "direct quotes" in which Footballers' language is cleaned up to sound more erudite or just plain literate than they are to footballers feeding their own stories to the news under the auspices of having loads of friends.

Anyway, this story from yesterday's Sky Sports, which I just read today due to a 12 hour sleep fest last night, made me laugh for a good 2 minutes.

John Terry claims Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher is the best in the world.


The England captain believes Carragher, who retired from internationals last year, compares favourably with any defender in the game today.


"I personally think that over the last four or five years he has been the best defender in the world," Terry told the official Liverpool website.


"He's been consistent in the Premier League, he's never injured, he always gives 100 per cent, he's a good reader of the game, he's quick and is good in the air.



I can only imagine the doublethink going on there that and how somehow in his tiny blue head complimenting Carra would ensure that Terry's England's captain when he comes back from his 9000th injury this year. If he is the best defender in the world why would so many crappy defenders get picked over him again and again.

My opinion of Carragher is that he's a thug and a merchant of sneaky tackles and suplexes in the box for which he hardly ever gets caught.

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