OzzieMandias

On the other hand, we have rugby, rugby league and cricket.

What did he get wrong?

Both wanted to leave for London. Robert and Bellamy didn't. Bollocks. Sir Les didn't want to leave, though, yes, Daveed did.

Independent's match report is a good read: http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/hughton-hails-fearless-carroll-for-adding-to-chelsea-turmoil-2146259.html

Fucking Stevenage. I hope we spank them in the most humiliating way possible and then trash what passes for a town afterwards.

Dog bites man tbh.

This is worth starting a thread over? Who fucking cares?

I can't quite believe we got through that second half without conceding. So many dodgy moments and Chelsea near misses. But considering our usual centre-back pairing was missing, that was a one hell of a defensive performance. Good to see that Sol can still cut it at this level.

I don't really care either. But while it's true about the likely increase of major media bullshit, it's also true that we probably do stand a better chance of doing well on home soil. And having been in London during Euro 96 and in Berlin during World Cup 2006, I can say that it is a lot of fun having a major tournament on your doorstep. Even if you don't go to matches.

Has he had many coaching positions in the past? I remember him mainly for his co commentary on Football Italia with Peter Brackley in the good old days on Channel 4 Player-manager at QPR. Managed Fulham when Keegan was director of football. He's worked as a coach under Vialli at both Chelsea and Watford. Was Dennis Wise's assistant at Millwall and Peter Taylor's assistant with the England U-21s. And then he's been assistant to Scolari, Hiddink and Ancelotti back at Chelsea.

We're not going to get it, are we?

Ray Wilkins would be great. Very intelligent man, good coach, decent bloke by all accounts. (I knew someone who had some dealings with him when he was at Millwall; he wasn't predisposed to like him, but was impressed by the encounter.) But I doubt he'd want to move to the north-east, he probably needs time to get over being axed so brutally by Chelsea, his salary might be a bit out of our range, and he might have a problem deputizing for someone like Hughton who doesn't have any more managerial experience than he does.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2010/nov/23/england-world-cup-2018-series

Why's it supposed to be reprehensible to go with a story at the moment it is topical?

I think it's pretty obvious that by him saying they 'want' to sabotage our bid, he means that it will sabotage our bid. So watch out basically. Warner means "I'm worried that this programme will reveal me to be the corrupt, sleazy bastard that I am, so I will threaten not to vote for England to try and get it taken off air."

Because that's when it's a story.

http://www.sabotagetimes.com/football-sport/a-match-day-in-the-life-of-carlo-ancelotti/

Where did I disagree?

We only have 3 sell able assets, Krul, Enrique and Carroll. But you are right It applies to every player at every club unfortunately. If City threw £20m at Ashley for Carroll he'd take it in a heartbeat. if any club offered anywhere near that carroll would be off. would be the clearest possible sign that, by accepting the first fee that comes along for him, we're unambitious, and reason enough for him to leave. what we need to do is take a good look at the kind of strike partner he needs and go out and try to sign him in january, that way signalling that we're building a side around him. That reasoning is so circular it makes me dizzy.

As long as he doesn't start wearing a girly headband.

It's a shit read, as the MLS does not have the rights to NASL history and thus the entire main point of the article is gone. The main point is the inability of the MLS to create any history. I'm quite sure that the rights to NASL material can be purchased or licensed, if necessary. So the only point of your post is gone.

Good read on crap MLS marketing and American "socc-err" history: http://www.slate.com/id/2275154/pagenum/2

I'm quite looking forward to this game now. Not just for Carroll, but because we'll be blooding other youngsters too. I'm so bored with the usual England suspects. This kind of friendly -- nothing riding on it but pride, and at least versus a major footballing power -- is definitely the right kind of game for bringing players through. The win-at-all-costs imperative in qualifiers by contrast usually dictates a conservative selection policy, and there's not much sense of occasion in an away game against Ruritania. Pity ben ben ben Arfa can't appear for the other lot.

Aye, good post.

I was just thinking the same thing. Half a season is enough time to make a judgement, though.