http://football.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Column/0,,2210635,00.html
The curse of Ridsdale stikes again.
"A High Court hearing scheduled for next week that could determine the future of Cardiff City has been postponed until next month. The Swiss investment bank Langston is seeking £24m it claims it is owed by the club as part of a deal struck when Peter Ridsdale took over from Sam Hammam. Although Hammam has regularly acted as Langston's "intermediary", he refuses to confirm whether he has a formal connection. Langston has applied for a summary judgment which, if successful, would tip the club into administration, but Ridsdale is privately confident the club will succeed when the case is heard in early December."
The guy's record is a nightmare. Leeds Meltdown. Barnsley Meltdown. Cardiff Meltdown. His record for financial incompetence is as certain as Ken Bates' for financial impropierty. What I love is the statement "Ridsdale is privately confident" , I am sure he was privately supremely confident that Leeds' debt would not spiral to £103 million too.
Wednesday, 14 November 2007
Inspiration
Was chatting with a friend of mine yesterday regards the concept of the flair play league. He thought goals should be worth two points if they were scored from outside of the D, sorry!, area. Great, I thought, more so called 'speculative' efforts from outside of the box then. After this I watched the news for a bit- with all this Burmese struggle for democracy, and Middle Eastern instability, I thought it was high time for bit of Dragons' Den, followed by Gordon Ramsey, followed by the end of IACGMOOH. I synthesised a temporary version of reality that was somewhere between all these intolerable horrors. Then I slept.
Right, where were we? That's right. Football. After lots of careful thinking on the subject of moneyca$h in the game and foreign players I have finally reached the decision on which I base my awesome opinion. Caps, quotas, grassroots investments, all well and good, or even less so. But, you know, like, fuckit, why not just sit back and let it all happen, and let them all get rich. Really, fucking, rich. They are footballers, they are the men who run football, they must deserve it.
A bit later on, once I've finished the filing, and pant kicked this apathy into touch, I'll come back and let you know all about other revolutionary ideas that will shape modern football.
Right, where were we? That's right. Football. After lots of careful thinking on the subject of moneyca$h in the game and foreign players I have finally reached the decision on which I base my awesome opinion. Caps, quotas, grassroots investments, all well and good, or even less so. But, you know, like, fuckit, why not just sit back and let it all happen, and let them all get rich. Really, fucking, rich. They are footballers, they are the men who run football, they must deserve it.
A bit later on, once I've finished the filing, and pant kicked this apathy into touch, I'll come back and let you know all about other revolutionary ideas that will shape modern football.
Monday, 12 November 2007
Flare Play/Flair Play league
See orignal article here http://footballisnotmygod.blogspot.com/2007/10/it-may-border-on-obvious.html For the uninitiated- WIN BY 3 CLEAR GOALS=5, 2 CLEAR GOALS=4 1 CLEAR GOAL =3, SCORE DRAW=2 NON SCORE DRAW=1.
In the realife premiershp this week- Chelsea fans must have had a pang for the Special One following a 1-1 with Everton who are still having a love affair with Cahill, Sven Goran Erikson concretes his defensive paranoia after being whooped by Chelsea, and Villa fluke it passed Birmingham proving that there is no substitute for bad luck. Unforutunately for Steve Bruce Birmingham are nowhere near the to good to go down catergory. Arguably Bolton are, and their veneer of respectablity under Gary Megson continues. Poor wretched Derby have problems at the back, problems at the front, and aren't too good at holding midfiled possession either. They continue to look a class below the rest ;-(. Spurs were unlucky not to win 8-0 aginst Wigan.
In my invented league it all looks like this...
Man U 39
Arsenal 37
Chelsea 31
Liverpool 31
Portsmouth 31
Man City 30
Blackburn 30
West Ham 27
Everton 25
Aston Villa 25
Newcastle 23
Tottenham 20
Fulham 17
Midlesbrough 14
Reading 13
Sunderland 13
Bolton 13
Wigan 12
Birmingham 10
Derby 8
In the realife premiershp this week- Chelsea fans must have had a pang for the Special One following a 1-1 with Everton who are still having a love affair with Cahill, Sven Goran Erikson concretes his defensive paranoia after being whooped by Chelsea, and Villa fluke it passed Birmingham proving that there is no substitute for bad luck. Unforutunately for Steve Bruce Birmingham are nowhere near the to good to go down catergory. Arguably Bolton are, and their veneer of respectablity under Gary Megson continues. Poor wretched Derby have problems at the back, problems at the front, and aren't too good at holding midfiled possession either. They continue to look a class below the rest ;-(. Spurs were unlucky not to win 8-0 aginst Wigan.
In my invented league it all looks like this...
Man U 39
Arsenal 37
Chelsea 31
Liverpool 31
Portsmouth 31
Man City 30
Blackburn 30
West Ham 27
Everton 25
Aston Villa 25
Newcastle 23
Tottenham 20
Fulham 17
Midlesbrough 14
Reading 13
Sunderland 13
Bolton 13
Wigan 12
Birmingham 10
Derby 8
Friday, 9 November 2007
The Women's Game and Homosexuality
I went to see England's women play a few years back. Against Germany at Selhurst Park. It was good fun, a sunny day, we went to Witherspoons before thematch, and lots of kids were there cheering. The tickets were cheap.
Unfortunately Enguhland lost, but you can't have it all. It won't be the last time England lose to Germany. After the game my flatmate (hi Andy *waves*) said "the problem with the women's game is that they only ever score scrappy goals." Which while there is an element of truth to it is rather harsh I feel. All this got me thinking about why the women's game is so much less popular than the men's.
The women's game is still developing, as every pundit always says. This is not to say that women can't play, or even that they are unskillful. Far from it. But rather that watching women play football is not yet impressed on the psyche. We have been watching men play football, and getting all boisterous about it, for generations. You could even go as far as to say that watching men play football is a huge release of repressed gay energy. I have no evidence of this other than basing it on something Freud wrote, and I am sure the claim would be fervourently denied by the majority of supporters. But there you go. By this logic supporting the women's game, by men supporters, would all be about releasing pent up straight energy, only that heterosexulaity is generally not repressed in our culture (or any culture except maybe the Spartans) , in fact it is actively encouraged. And since women's football is all about skill and tactics, not lap dancing, there are other better ways to cum into your socks if you are repressed, like porn or polegirating.
The suggestion of Sepp Blatter, a few years back, that women should play in bikinis is not really helpful. And not to be taken seriously. The best bet for the game to enter into public consciousness would be more time on TV, and, for school kids to play the game together. Unisex games up until the age of 12. That way we would get used to watching women play from a young age. The men's and women's world cups could be held simultaneously. With the women starting the week before, and the knockouts being held on the off days. This would place the game on the same cultural parallel.
So, in defence of the women's game, I think it is a welcome development, and nothing hinders our enjoyment of it other than in-built cultural prejudice. Or, more debatedly, that all men fans are secretly gay and just like watching the boys. ...
Vote on the poll over there >>>>>>>>
Unfortunately Enguhland lost, but you can't have it all. It won't be the last time England lose to Germany. After the game my flatmate (hi Andy *waves*) said "the problem with the women's game is that they only ever score scrappy goals." Which while there is an element of truth to it is rather harsh I feel. All this got me thinking about why the women's game is so much less popular than the men's.
The women's game is still developing, as every pundit always says. This is not to say that women can't play, or even that they are unskillful. Far from it. But rather that watching women play football is not yet impressed on the psyche. We have been watching men play football, and getting all boisterous about it, for generations. You could even go as far as to say that watching men play football is a huge release of repressed gay energy. I have no evidence of this other than basing it on something Freud wrote, and I am sure the claim would be fervourently denied by the majority of supporters. But there you go. By this logic supporting the women's game, by men supporters, would all be about releasing pent up straight energy, only that heterosexulaity is generally not repressed in our culture (or any culture except maybe the Spartans) , in fact it is actively encouraged. And since women's football is all about skill and tactics, not lap dancing, there are other better ways to cum into your socks if you are repressed, like porn or polegirating.
The suggestion of Sepp Blatter, a few years back, that women should play in bikinis is not really helpful. And not to be taken seriously. The best bet for the game to enter into public consciousness would be more time on TV, and, for school kids to play the game together. Unisex games up until the age of 12. That way we would get used to watching women play from a young age. The men's and women's world cups could be held simultaneously. With the women starting the week before, and the knockouts being held on the off days. This would place the game on the same cultural parallel.
So, in defence of the women's game, I think it is a welcome development, and nothing hinders our enjoyment of it other than in-built cultural prejudice. Or, more debatedly, that all men fans are secretly gay and just like watching the boys. ...
Vote on the poll over there >>>>>>>>
Mclaren to be sacked!
Probably. Apparently the FA will meet up on November 22nd for an emergency meeting, and thrash out the details of his severance package then. Probably.
In defence of his boss used car salesman Terry Venables said "If the FA is convinced it has someone better who will instantly transform us into World Cup winners then fine, but it must make sure it comes to a decision for the right reasons not just because it seems right at one particular moment. "
I agree. A decision of this magnitude should not be based on one particular moment. It should be based on a range of factors. Losing to Russia is one. Losing to Croatia is another. Drawing with Macedonia is yet another. Failing to qualify is an important one, should, as I suspect, it comes to that. The fact that he was always a lousy candidate for the job in the first place should really be taken into account too.
Enguhland may have under-achieved under Sven, Keegan, and Venables, but at least they had a major competition to actually under achieve in.
In defence of his boss used car salesman Terry Venables said "If the FA is convinced it has someone better who will instantly transform us into World Cup winners then fine, but it must make sure it comes to a decision for the right reasons not just because it seems right at one particular moment. "
I agree. A decision of this magnitude should not be based on one particular moment. It should be based on a range of factors. Losing to Russia is one. Losing to Croatia is another. Drawing with Macedonia is yet another. Failing to qualify is an important one, should, as I suspect, it comes to that. The fact that he was always a lousy candidate for the job in the first place should really be taken into account too.
Enguhland may have under-achieved under Sven, Keegan, and Venables, but at least they had a major competition to actually under achieve in.
Guess the headlines game!
OK- I haven't read the sports' headlines today. I'm guessing though that somewhere you will have something along the lines of Toffees Win Nuremberg Trial. *google searches*.... ah- here we go http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/everton-fc/everton-fc-match-reports/2007/11/09/blues-pass-nurnberg-euro-trialeuro-trial-64375-20083421/ "BLUES WIN NUREMBURG EUROTRAIL EURO TRIAL.
I get 1 point.
To the next round...
My guess for Spurs: Winning in the Holy Juande Land
And Google says: 1474: Accompanying Don Juan de Gusman, Pêro returns to Portugal. .... sees the conquest of Muslim Africa as a means of winning back the Holy Land. ...
Nothing for me there then, so far just the 1 point.
Last go.
My guess for Bolton: Bolt From the Brink
And google says: Bolt on superlens gives microscope nanoscale vision tech 22
As someone who has followed them with morbid fascination this season I was pleased to see Bolton pull out a draw against Bayern Munich. It seems Gary Megson has developed a habit of drawing, which, to put in context, is better than developing a habit of losing, but not as good as developing a habit of winning. And how about that for a bit of original sports' analysis!
At least though I can predict 1 in 3 headlines correctly. That is better than Nostradamus.
I get 1 point.
To the next round...
My guess for Spurs: Winning in the Holy Juande Land
And Google says: 1474: Accompanying Don Juan de Gusman, Pêro returns to Portugal. .... sees the conquest of Muslim Africa as a means of winning back the Holy Land. ...
Nothing for me there then, so far just the 1 point.
Last go.
My guess for Bolton: Bolt From the Brink
And google says: Bolt on superlens gives microscope nanoscale vision tech 22
As someone who has followed them with morbid fascination this season I was pleased to see Bolton pull out a draw against Bayern Munich. It seems Gary Megson has developed a habit of drawing, which, to put in context, is better than developing a habit of losing, but not as good as developing a habit of winning. And how about that for a bit of original sports' analysis!
At least though I can predict 1 in 3 headlines correctly. That is better than Nostradamus.
Thursday, 8 November 2007
ooo!
I have my 'first exchange' link interweb social protocol agreement/non-binding contract. I've been tapping up other interesting football sites. This is good, as a few external extra links here will mean I feel less like I am SHOUTING INTO THE SPACE INHABITED BY MY EGO, and Jason (see comments), and a few others, sometimes. Apparently this means I will also have "authority" on technorati too. Then, who knows, maybe notablity on wikiepedia. I've also added a link to the Guardian, as a gesture towards stating thte fucking obvious.
Talking of SHOUTING and EGO Alex Ferguson's Man Utd had a great result last night. As a monkey high up European Football's evolutionary tree this is just what you would expect. Arsenal had a lesser night. All part of the buddhist cycle I guess. Proving of course what a useful thing a Sporting Almanac Of The Future would be, like biff got in back To the Future 2/3(?). Ninguna persona would have predicted a 0-0 between Arsenal and Sparta Prague after the 7-0 rout of their previous encounter, not without prior knowledge. Or considering Arsenal made 8 changes to their squad (almost changing the entire squad) could they be accused of pulling a 4th round Carling Cup can't be fucked/doing a Davydenko?
GASP- you read it here first!
Talking of SHOUTING and EGO Alex Ferguson's Man Utd had a great result last night. As a monkey high up European Football's evolutionary tree this is just what you would expect. Arsenal had a lesser night. All part of the buddhist cycle I guess. Proving of course what a useful thing a Sporting Almanac Of The Future would be, like biff got in back To the Future 2/3(?). Ninguna persona would have predicted a 0-0 between Arsenal and Sparta Prague after the 7-0 rout of their previous encounter, not without prior knowledge. Or considering Arsenal made 8 changes to their squad (almost changing the entire squad) could they be accused of pulling a 4th round Carling Cup can't be fucked/doing a Davydenko?
GASP- you read it here first!
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