James

Good News

It's not up to the owners, it's up to the manager.

Ok, here is the JamesWorld Schedule. With the exception of 3 new fixture dates that occur in May, all matches are played on a date where there was originally a fixture. I'm interested in people's thoughts. August Season starts as normal 4 League games 2 CL qualifiers CC 2nd Round One league game added to replace international. September 6 League games 1 CL fixture CC 3rd Round Two league games added to replace internationals October 5 League Games 2 CL fixtures CC 4th Round Two league games added to replace internationals November 4 league fixtures 2 CL fixtures CC 5th Round 1 league, 1 CC game added to replace internationals December 4 league games FA Cup 3rd Round (Boxing day) CC Semi-Final (both legs) 1 CL fixture (completes group) Two league games swapped with CC 2nd Leg and FA Cup January Last club fixture is 6th January Two possible club fixtures: FA Cup 3rd Round Replay FA Cup 4th Round International Window 7th January – 10th February In 2007, 2009, 2011 etc Africans South Americans and Europeans play 6 qualifiers and 1 friendly. In 2008, 2010, 2012 etc African Nations Cup, while other international teams prepare for major tournaments. February Season resumes 13th February FA Cup 4th Round Replay FA Cup 5th Round CL 2nd Round 1st Leg (No CL changes required, so wont bother to include them from now on) Carling Cup Final 1 league fixture (postponed in case of reaching CC final) March 5 League Games FA Cup 5th Round Replay FA Cup 6th Round FA Cup 6th Round Replay Removing an international break this month allows the 8th March FA Cup game to happen, without those involved having to postpone their 8th March league game. April FA Cup Semi Final 4 league games (potential postponement with FA Cup clash, as usually happens) May 5 league games FA Cup Final Season finishes 1 week late. International window from 19th May Teams play major tournaments, or they play six qualifiers

So the Premiership has no fixtures in Jan or Feb? No FA Cup games either? Or am I wrong? Seven games rescheduled. Given that most could be placed into the weeks of existing international breaks, it is no big deal. Plus the 3rd, 4th and 5th round of the FA Cup, the semi finals and finals of the League Cup plus numerous knock out rounds of the Champions League and the Uefa Cup. No big deal really... When exactly would the season finish and start up again in Jamesworld?? You are exagerrating. ANC finishes on 10th of February. Let me knock up a Jamesworld fixture schedule for you if you give me a little time.

So the Premiership has no fixtures in Jan or Feb? No FA Cup games either? Or am I wrong? Seven games rescheduled. Given that most could be placed into the weeks of existing international breaks, it is no big deal.

Not at all. The thread is about whether or not clubs should sign African players in the knowledge that they will lose them to the ACN every other January. The thread can continue but I'm of the opinion that no matter how much one twists and whinges, the ACN in January are here to stay so they should be accepted and embraced. Nothing more. Hmmm.... i'd completely forgot what the first post said, apologies! No need to apologise, threads go off tangent all the time.

You're getting far too upset over this. This is the way Africa have organised their football calender. No matter how much you twist and whine, they won't change it. Do you hear African football fans complain because the winter Premiership fixtures interfere with the build-up to the ACN? Thought not. Actually, yes, Laryea Kingston says in this months FourFourTwo Magazine that Ghana complained about Hearts schedule, so he had to tell them to shut the fuck up. And the Hearts fixtures were changed as a result of the complaint, yes? Or did they just ignore the complaints and play the games anyway? No, but FIFA got involved and the end result was that Kingston was forced to leave one week earlier than had initially been agreed. I still dont believe that the best compromise has been reached. In the end of the day, fixtures aren't up to the African FA or the leagues, its up to FIFA who can specify exactly when players must be released to their federations. That is why FIFA should step in, get everyone on the table, and see if they can find a compromise that suits all parties. The idea of a universal international break appeals to me to be honest. It suits the international teams, it suits the federations, and it suits the clubs, especiallyifan extended transfer window was thrown in. What compromise would you have suggested then? If you fully read my posts you would have a better idea. In summary (some suggestions I hadn't mentioned before): Two international windows per season when internationals take place, and no other international breaks Domestic leagues alter their calendars accordingly. The January transfer window gets extended until the end of the international window. Expand I understand the rest. Which leagues take a break and when? The likes of Spain and Italy move their winter break to fit in with the international window, and any other leftover fixtures can be fitted within those August/September/October/November international breaks that no longer exist. England also moves January/February fixtures into international breaks and extend their end of season by two weeks. The extended transfer window serves as a sweetener, and as there aren't any domestic fixtures during this time, there wouldn't be any disruption from continuous speculation.

You're getting far too upset over this. This is the way Africa have organised their football calender. No matter how much you twist and whine, they won't change it. Do you hear African football fans complain because the winter Premiership fixtures interfere with the build-up to the ACN? Thought not. Actually, yes, Laryea Kingston says in this months FourFourTwo Magazine that Ghana complained about Hearts schedule, so he had to tell them to shut the fuck up. And the Hearts fixtures were changed as a result of the complaint, yes? Or did they just ignore the complaints and play the games anyway? No, but FIFA got involved and the end result was that Kingston was forced to leave one week earlier than had initially been agreed. I still dont believe that the best compromise has been reached. In the end of the day, fixtures aren't up to the African FA or the leagues, its up to FIFA who can specify exactly when players must be released to their federations. That is why FIFA should step in, get everyone on the table, and see if they can find a compromise that suits all parties. The idea of a universal international break appeals to me to be honest. It suits the international teams, it suits the federations, and it suits the clubs, especiallyifan extended transfer window was thrown in. What compromise would you have suggested then? If you fully read my posts you would have a better idea. In summary (some suggestions I hadn't mentioned before): Two international windows per season when internationals take place, and no other international breaks Domestic leagues alter their calendars accordingly. The January transfer window gets extended until the end of the international window.

You are right there, but I dont think international teams should have the right to play players whom have club commitments at the same time. Given that ANC occurs on odd numbered years, why not just create a compulsory 6 week domestic fixture break every other January, and get the European clubs to play all of their international qualifiers in the same period? Depends if you see footballers as products or people. I cant see employers in any other industry paying their workers to go and work abroad for someone else for six weeks. Ok. Do you see workers as products or people. My point being of course that there are still players who have an emotional link to playing for thier country. Both. You and me have emotional links to things too, but do our employers let us off on pay to satisfy those emotions? We get paid holiday, but thats usually it. In that sense we are products. But we are also people in that if we desire something enough, we can choose to work in a way that allow us to fulfil our dreams to the maximum possible extent.

You're getting far too upset over this. This is the way Africa have organised their football calender. No matter how much you twist and whine, they won't change it. Do you hear African football fans complain because the winter Premiership fixtures interfere with the build-up to the ACN? Thought not. Actually, yes, Laryea Kingston says in this months FourFourTwo Magazine that Ghana complained about Hearts schedule, so he had to tell them to shut the fuck up. And the Hearts fixtures were changed as a result of the complaint, yes? Or did they just ignore the complaints and play the games anyway? No, but FIFA got involved and the end result was that Kingston was forced to leave one week earlier than had initially been agreed. I still dont believe that the best compromise has been reached. In the end of the day, fixtures aren't up to the African FA or the leagues, its up to FIFA who can specify exactly when players must be released to their federations. That is why FIFA should step in, get everyone on the table, and see if they can find a compromise that suits all parties. The idea of a universal international break appeals to me to be honest. It suits the international teams, it suits the federations, and it suits the clubs, especiallyifan extended transfer window was thrown in.

You're getting far too upset over this. This is the way Africa have organised their football calender. No matter how much you twist and whine, they won't change it. Do you hear African football fans complain because the winter Premiership fixtures interfere with the build-up to the ACN? Thought not. Actually, yes, Laryea Kingston says in this months FourFourTwo Magazine that Ghana complained about Hearts schedule, so he had to tell them to shut the fuck up.

Good news to be honest that the football world still seems to find us attractive.

You are right there, but I dont think international teams should have the right to play players whom have club commitments at the same time. Given that ANC occurs on odd numbered years, why not just create a compulsory 6 week domestic fixture break every other January, and get the European clubs to play all of their international qualifiers in the same period? So we should have shut down the Premiership, La Lia, Serie a et al this year for the next 6 weeks. Returning to action at the end of Feb? Why not? Given that over four weeks a year seem to get lost to international breaks, the season would only run for 2-3 weeks longer. The federations should work out who has the rights to play the players, and the losing federation should be invited the choice to reschedule such that the best players are always on show.

You are right there, but I dont think international teams should have the right to play players whom have club commitments at the same time. Given that ANC occurs on odd numbered years, why not just create a compulsory 6 week domestic fixture break every other January, and get the European clubs to play all of their international qualifiers in the same period? Depends if you see footballers as products or people. I cant see employers in any other industry paying their workers to go and work abroad for someone else for six weeks.

You are right there, but I dont think international teams should have the right to play players whom have club commitments at the same time. Given that ANC occurs on odd numbered years, why not just create a compulsory 6 week domestic fixture break every other January, and get the European clubs to play all of their international qualifiers in the same period?

Other interesting names are: Pablo Correa Laurent Blanc Antoine Koumbouare Ernesto Valverde Manuel Pellegrini Javier Aguirre Marcelino Garcia Toral Luciano Spaletti Pasquale Marino Cesare Prandelli Francesco Guidolin

He's getting worse, but has it got anything to do with this season's strip? An anonymous grey kit isn't going to maximise his presence between the sticks, andis going to reduce his team mates' awareness of his whereabouts.

That is a lot of nonsense, though who exactly this nonsense eradiates from, I am not sure. Going up against every league and cup in Europe is going to have a similar effect on sponsorship.

Lets see now. Dalglish, Gullit, Robson and Souness himself were all attracted to the club. So what exactly is Souness' point here ? Surely he can't be stupid enough to be attracted to an unattractive club could he ? What a moron he is, but I didn't expect people to actually defend him for anything All I'm saying is that it is good that despite being sacked/being unpopular/not getting the best treatment (tick as applicable), it can only be good for us that former managers are willing to put in a good word for us if individuals are undecided. I agree with that. I'd rather Souness was prepared to accept a rather large chunk of blame himself for the mess he made though. In the end of the day, thats history. We may have been shaped by the past, but looking back at what has happenned over the years isn't going to shape us for the future.

Good point by HTT on Page 3 about looking at up and coming managers in other countries such as Italy. Building on from that, if I was Chris Mort yesterday, I would have approached Capello, told him that Newcastle wanted a good manager who can get the best out of a squad with strong English roots, and then ask Capello if he knows of any good managers from Italy or Spain that would like the chance to work in England.

Lets see now. Dalglish, Gullit, Robson and Souness himself were all attracted to the club. So what exactly is Souness' point here ? Surely he can't be stupid enough to be attracted to an unattractive club could he ? What a moron he is, but I didn't expect people to actually defend him for anything All I'm saying is that it is good that despite being sacked/being unpopular/not getting the best treatment (tick as applicable), it can only be good for us that former managers are willing to put in a good word for us if individuals are undecided.

http://www.stuart-wood.com/images/portfolio/alanSmith.jpg

In the end of the day, the only important thing in that interview was that Souness said that him, Robson and Gullit would all contact any Newcastle managerial target and tell them how good the job is, especially now Shepherd has gone. The club needs a good reference from some people now, and fair play to them if they are willing to go out of their way and do so.

http://www.virginmedia.com/microsites/movies/slideshow/top-ten-cross-dressing-characters/img_3.jpg No he's not, he's a very naughty boy.

I seem to remember us being thrashedby Manchester United with other caretakers in charge, and they never got such vitriol.