Football

[Godot 149]

I still don't understand why Martin O'Neill wasn't offered the job.

[Saint Peter 14]

Looks like our luck ran out as well.

 

Ukraine put 2 past us.

 

The wood work could only save us for so long. I still don't know how we beat the French.

 

The next game will be telling on the old scots resolve.

 

Euro 2008 seems a long way off!!!

[themaninblack 2,112]

The Death of English Football is just a touch of melodrama.

 

What I cannot believe is the demand for the return of Becks.

All he does is take free kicks and corners, he's not Pele.

 

I think its a sign of desparation the return of Goldenballs.

[Saint Peter 14]

What I cannot believe is the demand for the return of Becks.

All he does is take free kicks and corners, he's not Pele.

 

He also runs as though he has a vibrator up his a*se.

 

See y'all at the Gate.

 

SP

[maryportfuncity 10,646]

I still don't understand why Martin O'Neill wasn't offered the job.

 

According to rumours/stories all over the press at the time he indicated he wanted to bring in his own backroom staff and at an early stage was asked if he'd be prepared to work with a few named individuals - including Alan Shearer - when he said 'no' he ruled himself out. Now, arguably, he's got a better job than England anyway.

 

We started a thread in his honour a few months back, just in case he got the job and some hardline republicans took umbridge and shot him. He's had a brush or two with 'the boys' in the past.

[Godot 149]

I still don't understand why Martin O'Neill wasn't offered the job.

 

According to rumours/stories all over the press at the time he indicated he wanted to bring in his own backroom staff and at an early stage was asked if he'd be prepared to work with a few named individuals - including Alan Shearer - when he said 'no' he ruled himself out. Now, arguably, he's got a better job than England anyway.

 

We started a thread in his honour a few months back, just in case he got the job and some hardline republicans took umbridge and shot him. He's had a brush or two with 'the boys' in the past.

Yes I see he's an amateur criminologist, possibly out of self-preservation. McClaren might ask him for a few tips.

[maryportfuncity 10,646]

This link gives you the lowdown on why O'Neill isn't England manager.

 

Re the reason for a thread. O'Neill played Gaelic football as a youngster. There are leagues and the rest but - certainly when he was young - the game was also a well known cover for getting Catholic youngsters - like him - inducted into republican values and some other activities carried out in small teams. There's no suggestion O'Neill ever considered going that route but it's the kind of past that might convince a few unrepentant sorts that the man - as England manager - represented a traitor to the cause, or summat.

[Cowboy Ronnie 78]

This link gives you the lowdown on why O'Neill isn't England manager.

 

Re the reason for a thread. O'Neill played Gaelic football as a youngster. There are leagues and the rest but - certainly when he was young - the game was also a well known cover for getting Catholic youngsters - like him - inducted into republican values and some other activities carried out in small teams. There's no suggestion O'Neill ever considered going that route but it's the kind of past that might convince a few unrepentant sorts that the man - as England manager - represented a traitor to the cause, or summat.

 

Is Alan Shearer even part of the England set-up? Last time I checked he wasn't. So O'Neill didn't get the job because he declined to have on his coaching staff someone who ended up not being on the coaching staff. The FA are such geniuses, like rewarding Sven with a £4 million a year deal for meeting behind their backs with Chelsea.

 

As for Beckham, with the likes of Gerrard, Lennon and Hargreaves unavailable, David Beckham is one of the best 8 or 9 English midfielders. He might only deliver crosses and free kicks, but I'd estimate he had a hand in about 50% of England's goals for the past couple of seasons. Why does it have to be so all or nothing with Beckham? Surely he's got the potential to be a valuable member of the squad, maybe have him come on as sub, or available to start when other first-choice midfielders are out. Plus he could give Terry some advice on the captaincy. How does one go from starting the World Cup as captain to not even making the squad in the space of four months unless McClaren is just trying to show he's the big boss man? Unfortunately he appears to have the respect and confidence of exactly none of his squad.

 

Then we've got Paul Robinson, saying the the 2nd goal wasn't his fault, boo-hoo. Nice show of responsibility. If you can see there's mounds in front of your goal created by the other team's keeper in the first half, why not flatten them with your boots? Plus he had time to take a touch and control the ball rather than just swinging wildly at it. Ranks up there with going a goal down in 8 seconds to San Marino.

[maryportfuncity 10,646]

Shearer chose commentating and a media career after they'd chosen the England manager. Nice one! To be fair to AS, his low key film appearances suggest a more calculating intelligence and more ironic awareness of his own image than many football fans thought he possessed, so this may prove to the right move for him.

 

Re Beckham, yeah I know what you mean. We're pretty poor when if comes to pensioning off the legends. In fact, Shearer is another one who might usefully have been talked into sticking around. I wonder, for example, if we'd have him on the bench against a 10 man Brazil in 2002 whether we'd have gone further in that World Cup.

[Cowboy Ronnie 78]

Re Beckham, yeah I know what you mean. We're pretty poor when if comes to pensioning off the legends.

 

A list to which Gary Lineker's name should be added. Losing 2-1 to Sweden, a goal gets you through to the next round of the tournament, what's your best move? Ah, right, take off England's second leading all-time goalscorer, and the rare Englishman who plays his best football on the big stage. Graham Taylor wasn't even qualified to coach the "celebs" in their match against the footie legends.

[themaninblack 2,112]

Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard have been nominated

for the World Player of the Year award.

 

...I'll let that sink in.....

[maryportfuncity 10,646]

In a similar spirit of ironic amusement can I share a current Carlisle chant. Kevin Gall - a summer signing from Yeovil - netted four goals in his opening games but a tactical change brought about by transfers and injuries has left him playing deeper and making attempts on goal from a distance. 1-2 down against Millwall, on 73 minutes, Gall shot from twenty yards, rocked the posts to their foundations and watched the ball bounce harmlessly back into play. The Blue Army erupted to the tune of 'Gold' by Spandau Ballet;

 

'Gall, Gall, you have power to score, we always believe in you-oo!'

[DevonDeathTrip 2,358]

Exeter City vs Northwich Victoria on Tuesday night was a real blood and thunder encounter. I thought that our proudly held joint record with Mansfield of getting 10 players booked in a match was under threat at one point.

 

It calmed down in the second half, but for the first 45 minutes thunderous tackles flew in, players and managers squared up to each other and the referee missed a blatant stamp on our goalkeeper's head. There was also an attempted strangulation in the crowded 6 yard box as players jostled for a corner.

 

Word reaches me that an inspector from the local constabulary visited both dressing rooms at half time to remind players they were not immune from prosecution for criminal acts committed on the field of play.

 

It finished 1-1, amazingly there were no red cards, but both managers were sent to the stands - where they continued to enjoy a frank and forthright exchange of views.

[maryportfuncity 10,646]

Was on one of my periodic people smuggling trips down south the other week (we ship ambitious west cumbrians to East Europe for better paid jobs) and happened to take in a fine Maidstone United home game with a mate down that way.

 

Interesting from a disciplinary point of view. First off a Molsley sub was booked whilst warming up for giving a linesman stick for missing a foul. In the second half their player-coach, who subbed himself, started a warm down on the touchline, he was coaching from the same spot and the home crowd got worked up. They called over the linesman, who called over the ref who booked him. At which point the bloke called the ref a C**t and got red carded.

 

Game was shite by comparison.

[Dr Hackenslash 25]

Was on one of my periodic people smuggling trips down south the other week (we ship ambitious west cumbrians to East Europe for better paid jobs) and happened to take in a fine Maidstone United home game with a mate down that way.

 

Interesting from a disciplinary point of view. First off a Molsley sub was booked whilst warming up for giving a linesman stick for missing a foul. In the second half their player-coach, who subbed himself, started a warm down on the touchline, he was coaching from the same spot and the home crowd got worked up. They called over the linesman, who called over the ref who booked him. At which point the bloke called the ref a C**t and got red carded.

 

Game was shite by comparison.

 

Such a shame Maidstone went bust when they did, was good to have two Kent league teams.

 

Where are Maidstone playing these days? Still at Sittingbourne dog track?

 

I watched them v Whitstable Town in the Kent League not too long ago.

[maryportfuncity 10,646]

Sittingbourne dog track! They wish.

 

You can see the dog track towering above their present home, the old Sittingbourne training pitch. You'd have to check their web site for the full details but I think Sittingbourne Town went bust, obliging them to leave the shared dog track. At which point the training pitch became the 'stadium' for them and Maidstone. Frankly, it's worse than either Borough Park - home of Workington Reds FC - and the shambolic shed behind Borough Park that houses Workington Comets speedway and the local dog track. Maidstone are - however - supposed to be moving back home having bought a football pitch from the army, with planning permission for a 3000 seater stadium. I look forward to the round trip down there when they've fought their way back to playing Carlisle.

 

We've got history where they're concerned, they hammered us 5-2 in the last game of the 89-90 season, earning themselves a play off place and denying the same to us.

[Dr Hackenslash 25]

Well, whatever the state of the ground, it won't be as bad as Raydale Park...

[maryportfuncity 10,646]

Trust me Hack, it's worse, and so are the 3-400 strong crowds. It's a dump, certainly below Raydale Park standards. One dodgy stand with a temporary look about it and a covered area known as the 'garden shed' for obvious reasons if you see it. It's a the bottom of a hill and gets waterlogged easily - or so my partner in crime down there says. Pitch wasn't too bad when I went but it was late September and sunny. Still had carved up a bit for early season, nowhere near the snooker table effect of early season Brunton Park. There's some problem with building on flood plain land around there and I think Maidstone's current home may just about be in that sort of category. They're only just in the category where the FA are responsible for them. Last season they were in a local league. So - all told - I think they're lower than the likes of AFC Wimbledon. Scots wise I guess they'd beat Elgin but get hammered by Ayr, so it's not great.

[Canadian Paul 97]

I didn't see this posted anywhere else in the thread, so I must share:

 

Watch American Samoa get thrashed by Austrailia

.

[DevonDeathTrip 2,358]

I didn't see this posted anywhere else in the thread, so I must share:

 

Watch American Samoa get thrashed by Austrailia

.

 

Very good to see this, although I believe the match happened a few years ago. Goal 18 was beautifully taken.

 

Having spent time in Kiribati a few years ago, I can confirm that football has some ground to make up in the Pacific. The international record of Kiribati can be found here, I wasn't there at the time, but I'm told the 24-0 defeat to Fiji was a little unlucky.

 

I wonder how Kiribati would get on against the Vatican City FC?

[Dr Hackenslash 25]

I wonder how Kiribati would get on against the Vatican City FC?

 

 

The phrase a pig in a Pope comes to mind...

 

Actually, this is the best way forward for Northern Ireland - take the Vatican City FC and play them against Church of England FC. I can just see Rowan Williams and George Carey as strikers.

[themaninblack 2,112]

 

I wonder how Kiribati would get on against the Vatican City FC?

 

 

The phrase a pig in a Pope comes to mind...

 

Actually, this is the best way forward for Northern Ireland - take the Vatican City FC and play them against Church of England FC. I can just see Rowan Williams and George Carey as strikers.

 

Funny, I always saw them as defenders of the faith! Haw, Haw, Haw

[Dr Hackenslash 25]

Funny, I always saw them as defenders of the faith! Haw, Haw, Haw

 

We could go further...how about a United Christian XI v Judahism XI...

 

 

"What a cross by the Jews, that nailed the Christians' defence. It will take a miracle for them to come back from that..."

 

I'll get my coat

[Magere Hein 1,400]

We could go further...how about a United Christian XI v Judahism XI...

 

 

"What a cross by the Jews, that nailed the Christians' defence. It will take a miracle for them to come back from that..."

At Halibut United v. Hindu Athletic I can imagine the latter side's supporters chanting: "You're Shi'ite, and you know you are."

 

regards,

Hein

[Brinsworth House Baiter 12]

So, the mighty Villa are now the only remaining unbeaten Premiership side.

 

I hate to be a pessimist, but I'm still finding it hard to shake off these years of Ellis and keep asking myself 'when will the bubble burst?'

 

Will this be the pinnacle of our season or is Martin's magic going to take us to the Promised Land that is the Champion's League?

 

Am I the only Death Lister who gives a crap?

 

Answers on a postcard please to the usual address, marked:

 

'When will Villa finally lose and shut that bloody BHB up?